DHL Freight trialing electric trucks for deliveries in Berlin
DHL Freight has taken delivery of two FUSO eCanters made by Daimler Trucks.
In a statement issued today (14 December), DHL said that the official vehicle handover marks the beginning of its 24-month test phase of the electric trucks in the Berlin metropolitan area.
The 7.5-ton eCanter is an all-electric, series-produced truck with a low-emissions drive and low noise levels.
“The use of alternative drives, such as those built into the all-electric FUSO eCanter, plays an important role in reaching our Group-wide goal of reducing all logistics-related emissions to zero by the year 2050. DHL Freight is firmly committed to helping make this happen. By deploying the eCanter, we hope to reduce emissions from our forwarding business, as well as local air pollution emissions, which will in turn reduce our carbon footprint and that of our customers,” said Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight.
In the coming months, the two all-electric trucks will mainly be used to deliver to businesses and private customers in Berlin’s city centre. The trucks will be on the roads delivering less-than-container-load shipments weighing over 35 kg, such as electric or large home appliances, to private customers. DHL Freight will be using the eCanter both for pick-up and delivery, with the aim of reducing pollution for first and last mile services in the road transport business.
In addition to the two vehicles for DHL Freight, DHL Parcel has also officially taken on four electric trucks that it will use to make deliveries in the central downtown area of Berlin.
