Hermes Germany adds Fiat 500E to electric vehicle testing fleet
Hermes Germany is expanding its test fleet of electric vehicles with the addition of the new Fiat 500 E. The company said it has been promoting the development of electric vehicle technology since the mid-1980s by testing vehicles from independent vendors, Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Renault.
It is now taking on the electric version of the Fiat 500 from Hamburg-based commercial vehicle supplier Karabag, for use with fashion retail client bonprix.
The vehicle has a range of about 100km on a single charge and a top speed of 105 kph (65mph), making it “ideal” for use in city traffic according to Hermes.
Hermes Germany said it is providing its long-time fashion retail client bonprix with the use of an electric Fiat 500 free of charge for a four-year period as part of its new “WE DO!” campaign, as both companies look to push climate-friendly shipping activities.
The vehicle will be powered using renewable electricity, and comes equipped with a biofuel heating system to help keep the vehicle “carbon neutral” in the winter.
Frank Iden, the chief executive at Hermes Logistics Group Germany, said: “The ongoing boom in e-commerce means business and logistics are increasingly obliged to arrange the growing shipping volumes sustainably.
“With ‘WE DO!’ Hermes is showing it is aware of that responsibility. In addition, we want to get both our clients and their customers involved in our campaign to make the environment part of everyone’s lives.”
bonprix
Iden said the free branded Fiat 500 E was being given to bonprix as thanks for its business over the past 16 years, which last year saw the retailer using Hermes’ ‘WE DO!’ campaign logo in its own environmental campaign activity.
Dr Kai Heck, the bonprix director, said the ‘WE DO!’ campaign allowed his company to communicate the environmental protection message to its customers.
“We want to improve our environmental performance, and together with Hermes optimise our existing potential directly within our supply chain, such as through using electric vehicles. The Fiat 500 E is a highly visible sign of this commitment.”
Sirri Karabag, the managing director of vehicle suppliers Karabag, said electric vehicles were set to shape the future of the logistics business, particularly as prices come down.
“The Fiat 500 is now the first electric car in the market that is actually cheaper than a comparable gasoline engine – with the progress of this technology, nothing stands in its way.”
Hermes Germany, which handles around 303m packages a year, says it has reduced its carbon emissions by 42% per package since 1994.
