DHL Global Forwarding, Freight (DGFF) employs two battery-electric trucks for transporting goods to and between Satair’s Hamburg warehouses. This results in an annual reduction of over 30 tons of CO₂e compared to diesel trucks. These DHL Freight electric trucks rolling through Hamburg, Germany, demonstrate that green transport logistics are possible in many settings already today.
Less Pollutant Emissions on Hamburg’s Roads
Satair is a leading provider of spare parts and services for the civil aviation industry. For obvious reasons, the company maintains a warehouse at Hamburg Airport in the Fuhlsbüttel district in the northern part of the city. However, the seaport of the Hanseatic city is located in the south. Here, Satair operates its Global Service & Logistics Center in Hamburg’s Wilhelmsburg district.
No matter which route you take: the journey from Wilhelmsburg to the airport always goes through the city. When DGFF uses DHL Freight’s electric trucks on this route, direct emissions are avoided and noise levels are lowered. In a densely populated metropolitan area, this contributes significantly to improving quality of life and is immediately noticeable.
In the long term, this is an important step toward achieving the overarching goal of making logistics services as sustainable as possible. DHL Group is committed to achieving net-zero emissions in logistics related services by 2050. Satair’s request for fully electronic transportation solutions aligns perfectly with DHL’s sustainability strategy. DGFF was happy to meet this demand with a tailored offer.
Satair
Satair is one of the world's leading providers of aftermarket services and solutions for the civil aviation industry. In addition to selling spare parts and tools, Satair offers a wide range of services and solutions. Originally founded in Denmark in 1957, Satair is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus SE.
Satair in figures:
- Over 1,700 employees
- Ten locations worldwide
- Over one million spare parts in stock
- Satair’s 56,500-square-meter Global Service & Logistics Center in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg is the largest Airbus warehouse in Europe.
The Long-Standing Cooperation is Now Becoming More Eco-Friendly
DHL and Satair can look back on over 30 years of collaboration in the Hamburg area. For two and a half years, DGFF’s tool department has been carrying out milk runs for Satair. These deliveries involve transporting spare parts, ranging from small screws to complete landing flaps.
Initially, conventional diesel trucks were used for this purpose. Since March 2025, a Volvo FM 42 T Electric has been on Hamburg’s roads for Satair and in May, a Scania Urban EV in a special configuration has joined the fleet. The Scania completes one tour a day, the Volvo two.
Volvo-FM 42 T Electric
- Gross combination weight: 44 tons
- Number of batteries: 5
- Drive system: 3 electric motors
- Capacity: 450 kWh gross total power
- Range: up to 220 kilometers
- Charging time on a fast charger: approx. one hour (from 20 to 80 percent)
Scania Urban EV (BEV980 special configuration)
- Gross combination weight: max. 40 tons
- Number of batteries: 9
- Drive system: 1 electric motor
- Capacity: 297 kWh gross total power
- Range: up to 200 kilometers
- Charging time on a fast charger: approx. 1-2 hours (from 20 to 80 percent)
Significant Reduction in Pollutant Emissions
Using two electric trucks instead of conventional diesel trucks saves around 31.9 tons of CO₂e annually. Another Volvo e-truck is still in the testing phase. It has a range of 300 to 350 kilometers. Tests are currently being conducted to determine its practicality for routes in the Hamburg area.
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E-Mobility Makes Headway at DHL Freight
The collaboration between Satair and DHL Global Forwarding Freight is an important milestone on the road to sustainable transport solutions. With its further projects in electromobility, DHL Freight is sending a strong signal for an environmentally friendly future in the transportation sector. Examples include e-transports for the Hilti Group and trials with BYD electric trucks.
When the (current) limits of electromobility are reached, DHL relies on short-term solutions to reduce emissions, such as the biogas-powered truck for Ivoclar or HVO fuel for the Manitou Group. In the long term, we are exploring the potential of hydrogen technologies for transport logistics. Examples include the H2Haul and HyCET projects and the pilot operation of the Paul Hydrogen Power truck.
DHL Freight is committed to paving the way for a green future in logistics. Our customers’ sustainability goals are just as important to us. That’s why we offer custom solutions to help companies achieve their decarbonization goals. With our GoGreen Plus services, customers can reduce their Scope 3 emissions.
