Deutsche Post test Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL vans

Deutsche Post is expanding its fleet with alternatively powered vehicles and will be testing a total of 15 Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL vans from the fall of 2010. The first few vans were presented this week at the Mercedes-Benz Branch in Berlin.

With its battery-electric drive, the Vito E-CELL offers the possibility to reduce CO₂ emissions, pollutants and noise significantly in the future. The joint pilot project of Mercedes-Benz forms a part of the company’s environmental programme, GoGreen.

“Even today, we are able to test the reliability of the Vito E-CELL vans in our mail and parcel delivery service under realistic everyday conditions, thereby helping to ensure that the vehicles will reach market maturity in the medium term and can be manufactured economically,” said Joachim Wessels, member of Deutsche Post DHL’s Mail Divisional Board.

The vans drive with battery-electric drives and will be used in the mail delivery service. The day-to-day testing in Berlin and Stuttgart will also be supported by the “Electric Mobility for Economic Transport” programme funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety as well as the “Electric Mobility in Pilot Regions” Program funded by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development.

The Vito E-CELL meets the technical requirements with regard to range and payload in mail delivery operations and can be used flexibly in a large number of areas. The operational profile involving a great deal of stop-start traffic and a low daily mileage is the ideal scenario for taking advantage of the benefits of electric drives and for checking the vehicles’ capability in operational use. The almost complete lack of local emissions will help reduce air and noise pollution levels in inner city areas. Jointly with Mercedes-Benz, the consumption and range will be measured and checked on an ongoing basis in order to promote the further development of electric drives in light commercial vehicles.

The 15 vehicles will be delivered by the end of 2010 and will be fully integrated into operations for a duration of four years. The testing will focus on the performance of the battery technology, the charging behavior and the associated charging infrastructure. The aim is also to reduce the cost of electric drives, which is still very high, and to facilitate their commercial use.

Around the world, approximately 2,500 vehicles with hybrid drives, electric motors and alternative fuels are already in use on behalf of Deutsche Post DHL.