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Electrically-powered trucks are an important element in air quality improvement in major cities. As a driver of innovation in environmental protection, DHL Freight is starting an endurance test with the first heavy production vehicles. In mid-December, DHL Freight acquired two models of the first all-electric truck from series production. The two 7.5-ton FUSO eCanters will be tested in the Berlin metropolitan area over the next 24 months and will be used primarily in city center deliveries to business and private customers. For the latter, they are on the road handling cargo shipments more than 35 kilograms in weight, such as electrical or large household appliances. DHL Freight will use the eCanters for both pickup and delivery to reduce pollution in the first and last mile in road transport. The location is the branch in Wustermark, 30 kilometers west of Berlin.

Environmental Protection Strategy

Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight, explains the strategic goals behind the long-term test: “The use of alternative drives, such as in the all-electric FUSO eCanter, plays an important role in achieving our Group-wide goal of reducing all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050. DHL Freight is determined to do its part. With the help of the eCanter, we want to reduce the release of emissions and local air pollutants in our freight forwarding business, thus limiting both our own carbon footprint and that of our customers.”

First E-Truck

The FUSO eCanter celebrated its launch on September 14, 2017 in New York. The manufacturing for the European and US market is based in Tramagal, Portugal. The Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks, plans to deliver 500 trucks of this type to selected customers in the coming years. The start of mass production is scheduled for 2019. With this vehicle, the manufacturer is responding to the ever increasing need for quiet and zero-emissions vehicles for inner-city distribution traffic.

Innovation Driver Deutsche Post DHL Group

The Deutsche Post DHL Group is an innovation driver on the world market with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as one of the most important future topics in logistics. To this end, the company launched the Group-wide GoGreen program. At the local level, the Group has set itself the goal of improving the quality of life of people where they live and work by means of clean transport solutions. To achieve this, 70% of pick-up and delivery will be switched over to clean solutions, such as electric vehicles. DHL Paket will also soon be testing four eCanters in central Berlin’s inner-city area for deliveries to companies and large customers.  

FUSO eCanter Profile
  • Total permissible weight: 7.49 tons
  • Maximum speed: 80 km/h
  • Range: approx. 100 kilometers
  • Drive: Permanent magnet motor from BorgWarner
  • Motor output: 129 kW (180 HP)
  • Energy storage: six high voltage Lithium-ion batteries with a total of 82.8 kWh

 

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