Innovation

The road to fossil-free transport

To arrive at a fossil-free future, we need everyone to join our sustainability journey. Together with Volvo Trucks, we’re running a world-first pilot project to speed up the introduction of fully electric trucks in heavy-duty, long-distance transport.

Electric trucks are a milestone on our sustainability journey

Every day, we connect millions of people and touch millions of lives. As the world's leading logistics company, we believe each connection we make and each decision we take is as much a responsibility as it is an opportunity. With a team of over half a million, we have great potential to take action today to make a positive impact on tomorrow. We can lead the way logistics is done around the world and make a lasting impact.

We have repeatedly redefined logistics, from introducing innovative low carbon solutions to becoming the first logistics company to commit to a zero-emissions target. Now we have accelerated our roadmap to decarbonization by setting science-based targets and aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. For example, we intend to electrify 60% of our last-mile delivery fleet by 2030, which means we'll have more than 80,000 e-vehicles on the road.

Together with Volvo, DHL is taking action to reduce our environmental footprint.

Paving the way for heavy-duty e-trucks

Setting yet another milestone on our sustainability journey, DHL Freight has joined forces with Volvo Trucks to accelerate the introduction of heavy-duty electric trucks and take the logistics industry a step closer to fossil-free transport.

The use of electric drives in trucks is currently limited to lighter-duty vehicles intended for city distribution. Volvo has two smaller electric truck models, the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric, in serial production. DHL Supply Chain recently introduced the Volvo FL Electric to the streets of London, making it the first purpose-built, fully-electric commercial vehicle used for urban logistics in the UK.

60 tons

GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT

150 km

TEST DISTANCE ONE WAY

The new joint project with Volvo Trucks is the world’s first pilot test of a fully electric Volvo FH Truck with gross combination weights of up to 60 tons. The project aims to test the technology in long-distance heavy transports. The electric truck will regularly travel between two DHL Freight logistics terminals in Sweden, a distance of approximately 150 kilometers one way. During the trial, Volvo and DHL will gather new data and unique experience about line-haul carbon-neutral shipping, paving the way to optimal performance. We’ll analyze the balance between distance, load weight, and charging points in daily road freight operations, which will provide insights to optimize the charging infrastructure.

Ultimately our partnership aims to help make the transition to electric trucks as seamless and efficient as possible by considering every aspect of the ecosystem for electrification, including charging, route planning, vehicles, service, and other support.

On the road

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Supporting carbon-neutral shipping with Skicka Grönt

DHL Freight has been actively driving various sustainability and fossil-free technology projects for years. In Sweden, we introduced SKICKA GRÖNT (SEND GREEN) – a domestic climate-friendly shipping option. The simple concept asks customers to pay a fixed surcharge for every parcel or pallet shipped. The income generated is fully invested in clean technologies within the Swedish network. This form of carbon in-setting offers a very promising pathway to decarbonizing the global freight transportation network. Instead of funding carbon reduction projects outside the logistics industry, we invest in climate-smart technology inside the logistics industry.

“The collaboration with Volvo Trucks helps DHL Freight to play an even bigger role in the transition to sustainable alternatives,” says Robert Zander, CEO of DHL Freight Sweden. “It’s another significant proof point for our long-term strategy towards climate-neutral transportation.”

Published: April 2021

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