Electric drive solutions have been part of everyday logistics for a long time in last-mile and distribution transport. Thanks to technical developments in propulsion and battery systems, electric mobility is increasingly becoming a viable and sustainable option for long-haul and heavy-duty road freight. At DHL Freight Sweden, the electrification of road freight transport is progressing particularly fast. DHL Freight has now tested the Volvo FH Electric on long-distance routes.
Battery Propulsion as a Key Factor in Truck Fleet Transformation
In Sweden, DHL Freight already operates many routes fully electrically and has launched a pilot project with Volvo for long-distance heavy haulage as early as 2021. The sustainability efforts continue. Between Sweden’s southernmost county Skåne and the Mälardalen region east of Stockholm, DHL Freight Sweden has successfully deployed the Volvo FH Electric in long-distance operations.
The Volvo FH Electric has been developed for the transport of large quantities of goods and long-distance transport.
- Propulsion: two to three electric motors with a peak power of 330-490 kW (450-666 hp)
- Gross vehicle weight: up to 44 tons
- Range: up to 300 km
- Battery capacity: 360-540 kWh (4-6 batteries)
- Charging capacity: up to 160 kW
- Charging time: depending on charging infrastructure; e.g.: 9.5 hours with alternating current (43 kW) and 2.5 hours with direct current (250 kW)
The FH Electric performed well over long distances and the test lived up to expectations. This is partly because the charging infrastructure in Sweden is now so well developed that waiting in lines can be avoided. The Volvo Connect app is very useful and allows the driver to plan driving times and charging stops autonomously and conveniently. But there is still room for improvement, believes Stefan Bergwall, Head of Business Development Non Terminal-Based Operations, DHL Freight Sweden. Long distances combined with high total gross weights would continue to challenge the range and loading speed of the vehicles to achieve optimum productivity.
We are working intensively with our partners and carriers to increase the electrification of freight transport. The opportunity to test new solutions in regular service gives us valuable experience of both the technology itself and the driver’s perspective, as well as how the solution works and can be optimized in our day-to-day logistics.
Ylva Öhrnell, Director Sustainability, DHL Freight Schweden
Only Testing Under Real Conditions Provides Reliable Results
Practical tests on the road under real conditions give everyone involved, from the drivers to the planning department, valuable experience for later implementation in regular operations. Since practical testing and implementation go hand in hand at DHL Freight Sweden, Boris Oroz, Head of DHL Åkeri, DHL Freight Sweden, explains that it is no coincidence that 90 percent of the truck fleet already operates without fossil fuels and that the company is well on its way to achieving 100 percent.
Not only will DHL Freight Sweden be able to introduce zero-emission transport faster, but the entire industry will benefit from the results of the field test. At the same time, we are looking to the future. Where today there are no waiting lines at charging stations, the electrification of heavy haulage will increase and it will not be long before slot times have to be booked to avoid waiting times.
We will continue to invest in electrification and look forward with excitement to future models that will further improve range and capacity – and we will closely monitor the development of the charging infrastructure.
Stefan Bergwall, Head of Business Development Non Terminal-Based Operations, DHL Freight Schweden
The Drivers Are Impressed
While DHL Freight is gaining valuable insights from using the Volvo FH Electric with trailers in long-haul operations, the drivers are enjoying a very personal added value thanks to the positive driving experience. DHL driver Mattias Fredriksson is already enthusiastic about the FH Electric’s comfort, performance and safety, and how well the battery-powered heavy-duty truck has performed in everyday long-haul operations. Although he is somewhat sad to see the test run come to an end for the time being, his anticipation prevails: sustainable trucks like the Volvo FH Electric are the future of road freight transport.
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Electric Trucks and Other Sustainability Projects at DHL Freight
It is not only in Sweden that DHL Freight is fully electric. We also use environmentally friendly electric transport at our German sites in Hagen and Koblenz, in the Netherlands, and for Parker Hannifin. To make our fleet as sustainable as possible in the short and medium term, we are open to all drive technologies and are always looking for the best solution. For example, we use emissions-reducing HVO fuels as part of our partnerships with mechanical engineering company Manitou Group and pharmaceutical manufacturers Alexion and Lilly. With the GoGreen Plus Services, our customers can actively help us shape the green logistics of the future while reducing their own Scope 3 emissions.
