The September 2025 issue of Logistics Business magazineis packed with insights into the technologies, strategies and solutions reshaping global supply chains. A strong focus is placed on artificial intelligence and automation, with Samsara showcasing its latest driver safety and fleet optimisation tech from the Beyond event in San Diego. Further AI coverage includes interviews with Coupa’s international head and Transporeon, both exploring how data-driven platforms are transforming spend management and freight visibility.
Supply chain strategy takes centre stage in an exclusive interview with Siemens’ Alexander Tschentscher, who advocates a shift from reactive resilience to strategic robustness. Meanwhile, Ewals Cargo Care shares how its “warehouse on wheels” model and modal shift approach are reducing emissions while expanding operations across Europe. Port innovation is also in the spotlight as PEMA President Achim Dries outlines how ports and terminals are digitising, automating, and gradually weaning off diesel in favour of electrification and smart power management.
Inside the warehouse, automation continues to surge. Hyster discusses its big-truck innovations at TOC Europe, and a new automated distribution centre in Coventry demonstrates what’s possible in modern DC design. Case studies from CLAAS, Axfood, and others show how internal logistics and fulfilment strategies are evolving to meet increasingly complex demands.
Sustainability is another dominant theme throughout this edition. The magazine looks at how plastic pallets, automated packaging and green fuels—such as HVO used by DHL’s Formula 1 fleet—are cutting carbon without compromising performance. E-commerce brands like Bathroom Mountain and major supply chain software providers such as Soloplan and IFS also feature prominently, revealing how automation, AI and smart planning tools are supporting faster, leaner, and more resilient operations.
From warehouse doors to multimodal transport, and from predictive software to people-centric AI, this issue offers a comprehensive and engaging snapshot of the forces shaping logistics in 2025.
The new facility harnesses renewable energy and sustainable solutions, achieving BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and LEED ‘Gold’ classification
DHL Supply Chain today announces the opening of a new multi-user facility in Dublin, as part of the €637 million investment into the UK & Ireland region. The site is optimised for customers in the technology, life sciences and healthcare sectors, and delivers a range of specialist services.
These sectors are growing at pace, with a strong presence in Ireland which is host to 9 of the top 10 global software companies and 20 of the top 25 pharmaceutical companies in the world. The new Dublin-based site leveragesDHL’sspecialist services to directly address the unique needs of businesses in these industries.
From expert compliance support to customs clearance tools to full supply chain visibility, DHL delivers the right programmes and solutions to enable seamless operations and informed decision-making at all stages. For example, life sciences and healthcare customers at the new site benefit from the guarantee of zero time out of refrigeration for relevant products, with unloading docks sealed to vehicles. This enables temperature to be fully maintained at all times, an innovative feature which sets an industry standard.
Designed with sustainability at the fore, the building is certified as BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and LEED ‘Gold’, featuring several sustainable solutions including solar panels. The fleet operating out of the Dublin facility also harnesses renewable energy with a mix of electric vehicles and biomethane trucks helping to minimise carbon emissions on the road. DHL is also delivering innovative circular solutions, enabling DHL and its customers to extend the value and lifespan of products, reducing environmental impact by returning, recovering and reusing materials wherever possible.
With over 265,000 square feet of operating space, including 60,000 square feet of mezzanine flooring and 33,000 pallet spaces, the facility is located at the Quantum Distribution Park in Kilshane. The site and its customers benefit from strong transport links, situated close to Dublin Airport, Dublin Inland Port and Dublin Port.
Patrick Corbett, Managing Director Ireland, DHL Supply Chain says, “As the technology, life sciences and healthcare sectors continue to scale rapidly in Ireland, we are delighted to be opening a cutting-edge facility that caters to their needs with our specialist services. These are sectors which need flexible and resilient operations and our innovative supply chain solutions help them to maximise growth opportunities while minimising risk. The new site has been designed with longevity in mind, building in sustainable solutions across warehousing and transport.”
Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said: “DHL’s latest investment in Ireland marks a bold step towards the future of sustainable and high-tech logistics. By embracing innovation and sustainability, DHL is not just expanding its footprint but setting new standards for the industry. DHL’s investment in their cutting-edge Quantum facility will support our drive to build on our nation’s international competitiveness.”
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: ‘’DHL’s announcement further cements Ireland’s position as a leading location for global firms in the supply chain industry. This new facility demonstrates DHL’s further commitment to embedding themselves in our vibrant business community.’’
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has announced a comprehensive partnership with the logistics company DHL. The collaboration will enhance operational efficiency across FIA events while reducing emissions over the racing season.
The FIA has launched the Global Partnership Programme to collaborate with leading organisations across the world who share the FIA’s vision for driving innovation, sustainability and safety across both motor sport and mobility. As Global Logistics Partner, DHL will manage the transport, installation and maintenance of key FIA infrastructure across the FIA’s Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships. This includes FIA trackside infrastructure such as Mobile Office Units and Garages as well as race-critical equipment.
Sustainability is a central pillar of the partnership, reflecting the shared commitment of both the FIA and DHLto reduce environmental impact and promote responsible innovation. As part of the agreement, DHL will deploy seven trucks for European logistics, each powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) which cut emissions by up to 83% compared to conventional fuels.
DHL will support the sport to deliver the rationalised calendar that has been developed to create a geographical flow of races, thereby reducing travel distances across the season and enabling the use of lower-carbon freight solutions. These efforts contribute directly to the FIA’s ambition to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 compared to its 2019 baseline.
FIA Chief Commercial Officer, Craig Edmondson, said: “This partnership with DHL is a great opportunity to collaborate not only on the vital behind-the-scenes work that goes on at any track event, but also to drive sustainable practices across our industry. Pushing for greater sustainability across both motor sport and mobility is a priority for the FIA, and we are constantly seeking to embed this ethos into our ways of working, including our relationships with commercial partners.”
Paul Fowler, Head of Global Motorsports Logistics at DHL, said: “The FIA is a long-standing pillar of the motor sport community, so taking on the role as its Global Logistics Partner is a great honour to us. Our connection extends beyond the track. We share essential values such as safety, quality, speed, and precision, and we are both deeply committed to sustainability. Together, we champion alternative power sources and groundbreaking drive technologies that help reduce emissions along with regionalization of racing calendars.”
Announced during the FIA Sustainability Innovation Series at the iconic Silverstone Circuit ahead of the British Grand Prix this weekend, the DHL partnership marks a new pillar of the federation’s 2030 carbon reduction strategy. This is the sixth edition of the Sustainability Innovation Summit series, showcasing how collaboration, innovation and ambition are driving real environmental progress in motor sport.
The partnership marks another step in the FIA’s drive to strengthen its commercial relationships as part of its broader strategic transformation. It follows the announcement of the FIA’s 2024 financial results in May, which shows an operating profit of € 4.7m for the fiscal year, a major turnaround from the € -24.0m operating loss recorded in 2021.
Delivering results is the reason why logistics and shipping support teams are adopting agentic AI, writes Sebastian Glock, Director of Product Marketing & Technology Evangelist at Cognigy.
Billions of letters, parcels, and shipments are delivered each year. They cross international borders and state lines, spanning languages, cultures, and time zones. These are truly global operations. A melting pot of variables at an almost unimaginable scale. Providing consistently strong customer support under these conditions is extremely challenging. As well as acute seasonal peaks in volumes, there are unpredictable spikes in demand. When even 99.8% of transactions go smoothly, companies still face millions of potential inquiries.
Compounding these challenges, labour shortages in contact centres, alongside rising expectations for rapid, digital-first services, are straining customer service teams. Fragmented TMS, WMS, ERP, and CRM systems hinder end-to-end visibility, slowing time to resolution and frustrating customers and staff alike.
AI helping hand
Multinational shipping firms like DHL are turning to the latest generation of AI assistance for support. With human-like interactions in multiple languages, the ability to complete entire workflows, and the reasoning and autonomy to do so, agentic AI is quickly proving to be an invaluable tool in customer service and support.
Not your everyday chatbot
Agentic AI differs from conventional chatbots in almost every way. Where chatbots run off scripts and keyword identification, the AI agents truly understand language and can readily switch between languages. They accurately identify and respond to key information, even when it’s phrased unusually. For example, a customer might say, “I’m expecting a parcel, and so is my housemate,” to which the agent would confirm, “So, we’re talking about two parcels? Please can you confirm the shipment number or numbers if these were two separate orders?”
But the differences between bots and AI agents don’t just stop there. As well as language comprehension, agents have reason and logic. They apply context and variables to their responses, accounting for things like delivery windows or temporary routing conditions. They hold on to this context, even across long and complex interactions, and can work across channels (chat, voice, messaging apps), ensuring customers get the help where and when they need it.
This logic and reasoning shines when we consider agents are integrated with back-end systems and given executional permissions. Not only do they understand the customer’s goal and have access to their profile and account history, but they can also analyze multiple systems at once, deduce the actions needed to resolve the issue, and then see them through – all autonomously. This is incredibly useful for actions like shipment tracking, delivery changes, and pickup requests.
Seb Glock, Cognigy
Agents are, in fact, proactive in their operations. They actively start and complete workflows without direct human prompting, provided it helps them achieve their goal. So, should a delay in shipping arise, for example, agents could proactively inform customers, confirm new delivery windows, and attempt to find the appropriate workaround. Likewise, they can chase up late payments or send reminders.
Supporting DHL internationally
You can begin to see why DHL adopted such a powerful tool to support its customer service teams. Processing over 15 billion letters and parcels annually, the company’s 0.2% inquiry rate means it still handles over 30 million customer service interactions each year. With an increasingly international customer base with a preference for phone interactions, DHL needed multilingual support across time zones that could handle its colossal scale.
The deployment of its AI voice agent, Paula, has helped the company maintain a high customer satisfaction score of over 80%, lowered operational costs, and reduced response times. Fully integrated with their CRM, SAP, and Salesforce, and providing multichannel, multilingual support, Paula has relieved a significant amount of strain on DHL’s customer service teams. And when inquiries sometimes prove too complex, Paula seamlessly hands over to a human agent.
Benefits at scale
Agentic AI presents a new chapter in customer support services. Offering demonstrable value at scale, shipping and logistics companies are becoming more resilient, efficient, and cost-effective as they continue to deploy AI agents. Human workforces are relieved of repetitive, high-volume inquiries and are able to focus on higher-value interactions. And customers continue to enjoy satisfying interactions, with faster resolution times and fully digital support. The future is agentic.
DHL Supply Chain has signed a long-term contract with Fortum Battery Recycling, a business of the Nordic energy company Fortum. The agreement covers the development and provision of customized service logistics solutions for the recycling of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. With this partnership, both companies are making an important contribution to promoting sustainable supply chains and conserving valuable resources.
Fortum Battery Recycling is the only player providing a European solution for every stage of the battery recycling value chain. The company is a pioneer in the development of processes to efficiently recover valuable raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel from used batteries with minimal waste residue, thus driving forward the circular economy in electromobility. Under the agreement, DHL Supply Chain will provide customized service logistics solutions to ensure that Fortum’s recycling processes run smoothly, safely, and efficiently.
Forward-looking service logistics solutions for battery recycling
DHL Supply Chain’s service logistics goes beyond conventional logistics services. The aim is to ensure the business success of customers by guaranteeing the functionality of products and technologies throughout their life cycle. In the field of battery recycling, this means that DHL Supply Chain is responsible for the entire spectrum of services in the logistics segment. These include the safe transportation, storage, and handling of used EV batteries, as well as timely delivery to Fortum’s recycling facilities.
“Our collaboration with Fortum underscores our commitment to providing innovative logistics solutions to meet the growing demands of e-mobility,” explains Hendrik Venter, CEO at DHL Supply Chain EMEA. “Through our expertise in service logistics and our global network, we can help Fortum expand their recycling capabilities while maintaining the highest safety and sustainability standards.”
Sustainable solutions for electromobility
For Fortum, the cooperation with DHL Supply Chain is an important step in further expanding its sustainable recycling solutions and making the market for electric vehicles even more environmentally friendly. “We are proud to be working with DHL Supply Chain to develop an efficient and sustainable logistics solution for the recycling of EV batteries,” comments Anssi Airas, Head of Business Line Battery at Fortum. “We believe that electrification of Europe is not possible without sustainable recycling of batteries taking place in Europe, for Europe. The cooperation with DHL is an essential building block for our mission to promote the circular economy and maximize resource conservation.”
Evri, one of the UK’s largest dedicated parcel delivery companies, and DHL eCommerce, the e-commerce logistics specialist of DHL Group, have today announced a strategic transaction that will see the merger of DHL eCommerce UK with Evri. The merged Evri business will deliver over 1 billion parcels and a further 1 billion business letters annually and is poised to bring significant benefits to consumers and businesses by offering greater choice and cost competitive solutions. As part of the transaction, DHL Group will acquire a significant minority stake in Evri.
Evri’s cost-effective and flexible courier offer will be complemented with the addition of DHL eCommerce’s premium van delivery network. Rebranded Evri Premium – a network of DHL eCommerce, this will remain a dedicated and secure, separate network that will offer fast, time-sensitive deliveries with enhanced shipping security protection for high-value and large items for B2B and B2C parcel services.
The new Group will include an expanded international capability for inbound and outbound parcels to complement Evri’s own international network by making use of DHL eCommerce’s extensive expertise in cross-border parcel shipping and out-of-home network of nearly 150, 000 global access points. This includes faster transit times across the world with access to DHL’s own eCommerce network in Europe, the U.S. and selected Asian markets such as India.
Notably, Evri is entering the UK business letter market for the first time, with DHL’s UK Mail retained in the new combined Group and offering a best-in-class mail service. This will also offer e-commerce businesses more options for sending lighter-weight items. In addition, customers will benefit from the Group’s new combined out-of-home shop and locker network parcel delivery and collection which will be the UK’s largest.
Martijn de Lange, CEO of Evri, said: “We are excited that DHL eCommerce UK will merge with Evri to bring together two highly complementary UK businesses – committed to innovation and offering customers and clients the best possible service. By combining Evri’s scale, innovation and DHL eCommerce’s best-in-class premium van network, we are creating the pre-eminent parcel delivery group in the UK. Over the last decade Evri has grown ten-fold in size and this transaction will further expand our access into the European and global e-commerce markets. Since Apollo-managed funds came on board as our owners, they have backed our intent to drive forward and grow to become the UK’s premier parcel delivery business.”
Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce, said: “DHL eCommerce and Evri both stand for top service quality, reliability, and sustainability, which makes this partnership a great fit for our customers. Together, we’ll be able to offer more efficient, far-reaching, and innovative solutions to keep up with the fast-paced e-commerce market. By joining forces in the UK, we’re creating a one-stop shop for all our customers’ parcel needs here and giving them better delivery options from around the world.”
The service portfolio of the newly formed Group will include:
• Cost-effective and flexible courier network for next-day and standard deliveries for small and large items for retailers, businesses and consumers.
• A separate, dedicated and secure premium network for high-value and larger parcels for B2B and B2C deliveries.
• A leading SME one stop shop solution which offers everything from mail, lightweight, larger, secure, B2B, international and fulfilment services.
• The UK’s largest out-of-home network of 15,000 access points.
• Extensive international capability to complement Evri’s own international network by making use of DHL eCommerce’s expertise in cross-border parcel shipping and global out-of-home network of nearly 150,000 access points.
• The operation of a best-in-class mail service on behalf of businesses in the UK.
On completion, the combined Group, will bring together a team of over 30,000 couriers and van drivers, 12,000 colleagues, with a fleet of 8,000 vehicles to deliver over 1 billion parcels and 1 billion letters annually.
Evri Chairman and Apollo Partner Alex van Hoek, said: “This is a tremendous milestone in Evri’s journey, and we are delighted to welcome a global leader like DHL as a strategic partner and shareholder. By embracing technology and innovation, Evri has grown from strength to strength in a dynamic e-commerce market. With DHL’s complementary expertise and strong network, the business is well positioned to further improve its reliable services and the customer experience.”
Following completion, Martijn de Lange will lead the combined business in the UK, with Stu Hill, currently CEO of DHL eCommerce UK, becoming MD of Evri’s Premium DHL network business. The DHL eCommerce UK executive team will also join the new group.
Evri will continue to be majority owned by Apollo-managed funds. Completion of the transaction and the outlined partnership are contingent upon closing conditions, including customary regulatory approvals. The businesses of DHL Express, DHL Supply Chain and DHL Global Forwarding in the UK are unaffected by this transaction and will continue to operate as they do at present.
DHL Express has temporarily suspended deliveries of goods worth more than $800 to the United States, citing a “significant increase” in customs red tape linked to new tariff rules introduced by US President Donald Trump.
Starting Today (21st April 2025), the company will halt shipments from businesses in all countries to American consumers for packages above the $800 threshold, stating the move will remain in place “until further notice.” Deliveries between businesses (B2B) will continue but may also experience delays.
Previously, goods valued up to $2,500 could enter the US with minimal paperwork. However, tighter customs checks implemented alongside Trump’s recent tariffs have now lowered that threshold, triggering a spike in formal customs clearances.
DHL said this surge has strained operations:
“While we are working to scale up and manage this increase, shipments worth over $800, regardless of origin, may experience multi-day delays.”
Shipments valued under $800 will still be delivered and continue to face minimal customs scrutiny—for now. But additional changes are on the horizon. On 2 May, the White House is expected to close a loophole that allows low-value packages, particularly from China and Hong Kong, to enter the US without paying duties.
In a related move, Hongkong Postannounced it is suspending all sea mail deliveries to the US and will stop accepting any parcels bound for the US starting 27 April. It described the US approach as “unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively.”
As global shipping lanes become increasingly entangled with geopolitics and security concerns, logistics providers are facing new challenges in cross-border parcel delivery—particularly into the US.
DHL Express has partnered with Tusk, a charity dedicated to accelerating the impact of Africa-driven conservation, to transport17 critically endangered mountain bongo antelopes from the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) in Florida to a sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Kenya, run by the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust. Bred in Florida, mountain bongos are on the verge of extinction with fewer than 100 left in the wild due to poaching, forest degradation and habitat fragmentation.
As a partner of Tusk, DHL used its expert and specialist logistics services to provide point-to-point air transfer for the bongos. Meeting the requirement that the full herd be transported together; DHL provided a dedicated aircraft which carried the antelopes 7146 nautical miles directly from Palm Beach International Airport (Florida) to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya.
The bongos were transported in custom-built crates, alongside 6 tonnes of pelleted feed and 3 specialist animal care staff including a veterinarian and 2 bongo specialists from the US. The mountain bongos were released into a 20-acre sanctuary, which has been set aside for their long-term management and recovery by the Kenya Forest Service. The sanctuary plays a critical role in the national recovery plan and is key to the ongoing success of the project.
Formed by 12 female and 5 male bongo antelopes, the herd will remain in the paddocks to safely breed. The offspring will then slowly be reintroduced into Mount Kenya’s forest ecosystem, from which they have been absent for over 40 years.
Mike Parra, CEO DHL Express Europe, says: “We are so proud to be able to leverage the power and expertise of our global network to assist in transporting these critically endangered bongo antelopes to their new sanctuary in Kenya. The logistics of moves such as this are incredibly complex, with the welfare of the animals being everyone’s top priority. A huge thank you to our partners at Tusk, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and everyone involved in making this important conservation mission a success”.
Mike Watson, CEO of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy which helped to coordinate this complex repatriation, says: “Bringing the bongos back to Kenya is a great moment in the restoration of the country’s natural heritage. For decades, these animals have been largely absent from the very forests where they belong, and this project will be crucial in reversing that loss. Seeing them set foot on Kenyan soil again is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when organizations work together.”
DHL Flies Bongos
Dr. Paul Reillo, RSCF Founder and President, says: “There is simply no higher calling for humanity than to protect what remains of nature. The mountain bongo’s story of decline and recovery has been entirely on our watch, and the species’ future lies with all of us. The bongo’s resilience is a story of hope for wildlife and people alike, merging elevated partnerships, proven expertise, vital resources and amazing courage. This humbling, profound project exemplifies true wildlife conservation in real time.”
Charlie Mayhew, Founder and President of Tusk, says: “The return of 17 critically endangered mountain bongos from Florida to Kenya is a significant step in restoring this critically endangered species to its native habitat, and demonstrates the conservation progress that can be made through collaboration. We are hugely grateful to our global partner DHL Express for their generous support in transporting the bongos – yet another key milestone in the partnership between our organizations. DHL’s dedication to environmental sustainability, and its role as a responsible corporate partner in supporting Tusk’s mission to protect Africa’s wildlife and natural habitat, is invaluable.”
Led by the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LEWA), the relocation of the bongos was a collaborative effort supported by the Meru Bongo & Rhino Conservation Trust (MBRCT) and the RSCF. The local communities surrounding the sanctuary will play a key role in running the conservation program, creating education and employment opportunities that will support the region. In this context, Tusk acts as official partner of DHL Express, working closely together with LEWA, MBRCT and RSCF to provide highly efficient solutions for funding wildlife conservation programs.
Hong Kong is the location of DHL’s main Asian DC, one of three global hubs. David Priestman was given a tour of the recently upgraded express facility.
€377 million is a lot to invest in a distribution centre. DHL have deep pockets and needed a best-in-class operation at Hong Kong’s Chep Lap Kok international airport, with direct access to airside and landside. It is the only dedicated express cargo facility here, offering seamless parcel shipment transfers, processing 45% of intra-Asia shipments and close to 20% of DHL Express’s global shipments. Using this location provides just a maximum 4 hour flight time to major cities in the Asia-Pacific region, with Freeport advantages.
General Manager Samuel Lee (pictured), also a member of the DHL Express Global Hub Steering Committee, has 25 years of experience in logistics. The former General Manager of DHL Express’s South Asia Hub, in his native Singapore, Lee has also advised on the development and commissioning of the company’s hubs in Bangkok and Shanghai. As a matter of interest, UPS’ nearest hub is in Shenzhen, FedEx’s in Guangzhou – both in mainland China.
The Hong Kong DC features auto sorting systems and 40-feet telescopic conveyors for container truck loading and unloading. The induction system to the 8.86km long conveyor belt consolidates multiple lines and feeds items to the auto-sorters and 6-sided scanners (supplied by Sick), then on to the designated tunnel for CT X-ray security scans which detect suspicious content via 3D imaging and smart-rendering functions for precise inspection. This is the first facility in Hong Kong to have CT scanners. There are 880 CCTV cameras as well to provide maximum security and the site has its own 24-hour customs hall.
Samuel Lee
The automated sorters direct parcels to their respective destination slide/shute. In this DC Vanderlande’s ‘Crosssorter’ is used, but DHL deploy Beumer, Fives and Interroll sorters in other warehouse hubs. The final process is for parcel details to be scanned by a member of staff before being packed into a ULD for manoeuvring on caster decks onwards to the aircraft. Having direct access airside enables faster loading. The flight information board informs staff of the cut-off time, while shipment sensor indicators notify them when the shipment slides reach 75% or 100% capacity.
Lee justifiably boasts of the hub’s sustainable features. These include 3450 pieces of solar roof panels, with a total PV generation estimated at 1.7 million kWh annually and meaning that the DC has excess electricity. The battery energy storage system (BESS) acts as an energy buffer for optimisation of the solar energy usage and peak load shifting. 100% of the forklifts used are electric, all lights are LED and there are high-efficiency air-cooled chillers near the picking stations. “All our warehouses will be carbon neutral, including older facilities, by 2030,” Lee informed me. This ties-in with DHL’s last-mile delivery target of having 60% of its fleet electric by the same deadline.
Staff safety and well being is paramount here, Lee emphasises. There is a safety committee, regular drills, health checks and programmes for all staff. There are 670 employees here currently and their happiness is central to the culture Lee is cultivating at this site. The DC was calmy quiet when I attended, on an early weekday evening, but gets very busy as the clock ticks down to night flight departures. DHL flies to Leipzig more than other European destinations, as this is the European hub.
After the latest expansion, completed in 2023, the DC, which operates across three floors, can handle six times more in terms of shipment volume than when it was first established in 2004, with a total area now of 49,500 sq.m. The capacity total volume management is now over 1 million tonnes per annum. Bridges provide walkways between the buildings, so as to create synergy.
DHL Group and heavy goods vehicle manufacturer Scania have jointly developed an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator, making it possible to shift to battery-electric road transport without having to wait for a complete charging network. Fully electric vehicles are the ultimate solution in a sustainable transport system, and the shift to electric needs to accelerate now. There are, however, hurdles such as the lack of charging points, the high costs of ensuring enough charging capacity at the depots during seasonal peaks, and the strain on the grid and high spot prices for electricity on for instance calm winter days. This is where DHL’s and Scania’s Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) comes into the picture. The vehicle helps to overcome these hurdles while enabling DHL to drive 80 – 90% on renewable electricity.
The new e-truck will be deployed by the Post & Parcel Germany division in February for parcel transport between Berlin and Hamburg to test its performance in day-to-day operations, before additional vehicles are added to DHL’s fleet. The fuel-powered generator replaces one of the battery packs in a fully electric truck not needed for the majority of the transport routes, thus reducing the range coming from the batteries, but providing back-up energy for the mentioned scenarios. The vehicle has a possible range of 650 to 800 kilometers (subject to the findings from the test in Berlin) and can be refueled at any conventional petrol station, if needed. This compares with the 550 kilometers of Scania’s most modern and industry-leading 100 percent electric trucks with an equivalent maximum weight.
DHL Group CEO Tobias Meyer said: “It is going to take some time before renewable electricity, the grid and charging infrastructure are available and robust enough to rely fully on battery-electric trucks, especially for a large-scale system like the German parcel network of DHL. Instead of waiting for this day to come, DHL and Scania are collaborating on a pragmatic solution for making logistics more sustainable and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 80%. This vehicle is a sensible, practical solution that can make an immediate contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in freight transport short-term. Such reductions should be proportionally reflected in the road toll pricing and EU fleet emission scheme. We see this collaboration as a successful innovation project of two companies committed to battle climate change.”
The EREV has been developed by Scania Pilot Partner, exploring new technologies and solutions, in this case together with the strategic partner DHL. Range-extended electric vehicles offer a promising interim solution for significant CO₂e reductions, especially where infrastructure and other conditions for fully electric transport are lacking. EU and national policies should recognize and incentivize this concept through adequate recognition of the realistic emission intensity in and proportional road toll reductions.
Christian Levin, CEO, Scania, said: “The future is electric, but perfect must not be the enemy of good as we are getting there. The vehicle we have developed together with DHL is an example of interim solutions that can enhance the scaling of decarbonised heavy transport before the transport system eventually becomes 100 percent electrified. An effective climate transition requires that policymakers accept such solutions, while ramping up their investments in public infrastructure and other enabling conditions.”
The EREV is a 10.5 meter long truck with a maximum weight of 40 metric tons, powered by a 230kW electric engine (295 kW peak). Energy is delivered by a 416 kWh battery and a 120 kW gasoline powered generator. With the aid of the onboard generator – initially powered by petrol and later by diesel fuel/HVO – the truck’s range extends up to 800 kilometers. EREVs can be equipped with a software limiting the usage of the fuel-powered generator, thereby allowing CO2 emissions to be reduced and limited to a specified level. Its maximum speed is 89 km/h, with a cargo capacity of approx. 1,000 parcels (volume of a swap body). The truck can also pull a trailer with an additional swap body. The vehicle is to be deployed for “main carriage” transport between the cities of Berlin and Hamburg.
Deutsche Post AG and Scania CV AB filed a patent application for the technology with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) in Munich on September 19, 2024.
