DHL today announced a plan to add 100 sustainable electric vehicles to their logistics fleet by 2021.
The eco-friendly vehicles called ‘H2 Panel Van’, which are manufactured by StreetScooter is designed with an added fuel cell which will provide an additional range of up to 500 km. It has a maximum payload of about 800 kg which allows it to withhold 4.25 tonnes.
The model is based on the ‘StreetScooter WORK XL’ delivery vehicle which is now used by DHL Parcel, featuring cargo capacity over ten cubic meters. That’s approximately 100 express parcels.
In Germany, an exemption for lightweight battery commercial electric vehicles means that drivers with “Class B” licenses, usually for passenger cars or trucks up to 3.5 t, can operate the H2 Panel Van. For now, DHL Express will be the exclusive user of the new vehicle. The Group currently has no plans to sell the H2 Panel Van to third parties outside Deutsche Post DHL Group.
“We firmly believe that fuel cells will play an increasing role in electric-powered transport since they can give battery electric vehicles the kind of range that is so important for so many customers,” says Schmitt. “With the Panel Van, StreetScooter begins yet another chapter in its proud history of innovation and enters into a new growth phase.”
– Fabian Schmitt, chief technical officer, StreetScooter GmbH
