The introduction of four all-electric Renault Master vans heralds the arrival of a greener DHL Parcel fleet. In the inner ring of Brussels and Antwerp, drivers make zero-emission parcel deliveries to their business addresses. DHL Express also operates electric vehicles in these cities. Together, the DHL companies have 20 electric vans and 10 electric cargo bikes. Over the course of this year, the number of electric vans in the distinctive yellow with a green leaf will be increased to more than 30 vehicles.
“Making our fleet more sustainable fits with our aim of becoming the world's greenest logistics provider. By 2050, DHL intends to be completely carbon-neutral, worldwide. That's a huge challenge for a logistics company,” says Frank Van Hille, Managing Director at DHL Parcel Belgium. “And it calls for action in the here and now. By making our business premises sustainable, instilling an eco-friendly mindset among our staff and, of course, by greening our fleet. We’re taking steps in that direction; these four vans are used on routes in Brussels and Antwerp with lots of stops and smaller parcels. Later in the year, we will be adding eight electric vans and, after these twelve, we’re looking ahead to the arrival of electric trucks that are attractive to the transportation sector,” says Van Hille. “Our business customers entrust lots of pallets and large consignments to us, which necessitate the use of a truck.”
The sustainable expansion of the fleet does require drivers to adjust, and adopt a different driving style: “When they began driving the new vehicles, they really noticed the silence in the cabin, and electric driving calls for a skill which our drivers are now enthusiastically embracing,” says Van Hille. “It is a first step, and many more initiatives will follow. In the Netherlands, for instance, we recently switched to 100% carbon-neutral parcel delivery to consumers, according to the principle of cutting where possible, and fully compensating where not. And going forward, we are totally committed to introducing this for our shipments for businesses.”
