DHL and Volvo Trucks Join Forces for the Deployment of Heavy E-Trucks

DHL Freight, one of the leading road freight providers in Europe, and Volvo Trucks have teamed up to accelerate the introduction of heavy electric trucks for regional transport in Europe. The joint efforts are another important step towards climate-neutral transport solutions.

(Bonn/Göteborg) DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have initiated a project focused on heavy long-distance transport. Until now, electric trucks have primarily been used for shorter distances in urban and suburban areas. Now, DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have launched a project focusing on heavy transport over long distances. The cooperation includes exclusive, world-first pilot trials of a fully electric Volvo FH with a total train weight of up to 60 tons. Starting in March, the truck will operate on a route of approximately 150 kilometers between two DHL logistics terminals in Sweden.

Gaining Experience in a Testing Phase

During the testing phase, Volvo and DHL will gather important experiences and information about the establishment and operation of an adequate charging infrastructure. The insights gained will help optimize the right balance between distance traveled, payload, and charging stations in daily road freight transport. DHL and Volvo Trucks are actively working together to reduce their ecological footprint, as sustainability is an integral part of both companies’ strategies. “Our goal is to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero. Important milestones have already been achieved: Compared to 2007, our group’s CO2 efficiency has improved by 35%. However, we need innovative technological solutions and strong partnerships on this path. I am confident that our close collaboration with Volvo Trucks, one of the largest truck brands in the world, will help us achieve our ambitious environmental goals in road freight transport,” says Uwe Brinks, CEO of DHL Freight.

The Transition to Electrification Should Be Seamless

Volvo Trucks is driving the necessary change towards emission-free transport. The transition to electrification should be as seamless and efficient as possible. This takes into account all aspects of the electrification of freight transport, including charging infrastructure, route planning, vehicles, service, and other relevant topics. “The transport business is changing rapidly, and being sustainable is becoming an increasingly important business advantage for many of our customers. We offer effective transport solutions that enable a quick transition to fossil-free fuels like electricity. We have a long-standing relationship with DHL. Their broad and global expertise in logistics allows us to examine the conditions for the progress of this technological change and adapt it to customer needs and their mode of transport,” says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.

Charges to Customers for Clean Technologies

DHL is actively promoting various projects on sustainability and fossil-free technologies and has introduced a climate-oriented shipping program in Sweden. Customers who use the program pay a fixed surcharge for each package or pallet, and the revenues from the surcharges are fully invested in clean technologies within the Swedish network. “The logistics industry faces a significant challenge that also presents a great opportunity – the reduction of emissions in freight transport. Collaborating with Volvo Trucks helps DHL Freight play an even greater role in the transition to sustainable alternatives and is further evidence of our long-term strategy towards climate-neutral transport,” explains Robert Zander, CEO of DHL Freight Sweden. Already today, the Volvo FL and Volvo FE Electric models are in series production for urban transport. DHL recently put a new Volvo FL Electric into operation in London, introducing the first fully electric Volvo truck specifically built for urban transport in the UK. At the end of last year, Volvo Trucks launched the sale of the VNR Electric in North America, and this year, the launch of the heavy model series of electrically powered trucks up to 44 tons will take place. “Our goal is for our entire product range to be fossil-free by 2040 at the latest,” concludes Roger Alm.

Facts about the Project:

• The DHL-Volvo project starts in the first quarter of 2021 and is part of REEL, an initiative by the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova to promote the transition to an electrified freight transport system.
• The route runs between the Swedish cities of Gothenburg and Jönköping, corresponding to a simple distance of 150 kilometers.
• The truck will be charged at DHL in Jönköping and at the Volvo Truck Center in Gothenburg.

Photos: © Volvo Trucks www.volvotrucks.de      www.dhl.com