Following last year's introduction of 50 electric vans to operate out of sites across the UK, this next phase demonstrates the business' ongoing commitment to reaching its sustainability goals and the successful integration of electric vehicles into the network. By 2030, the business is committed to a 100% electric UK-wide courier fleet. The 270 new vans will enter operation between May and September, servicing over 30 different locations, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Liverpool, Sheffield, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
The zero emissions Ford E-Transits have a range of 140 miles and a payload of approximately 1000kg, similar to the diesel vans they are replacing. The bodies have been customised for ease of use for drivers and to ensure continued high service levels. Drivers are provided with industry leading training to ensure they are familiar with the new vehicles and confident in their capabilities.
Operating at 4.25 tonnes, the vehicles can be driven with a standard Category B licence under the driving licence derogation rules for alternatively fuelled vehicles, enabling the same payload to be carried as in their diesel equivalents despite the additional weight of the electric powertrain.
DHL has also been focused on developing its infrastructure to support the EV roll-out and in addition to stand-alone charging points across the Service Centre network, now operates 10 fully integrated EV-ready sites, with an additional three opening this spring, and 13 more planned later this year. The integrated charging infrastructure is scalable to allow for additional electric vehicles as the fleet grows in the coming years.
