Deutsche Post DHL yesterday officially received its first Mercedes Benz Sprinters from a totalof 1,300 new vehicles that will modernise its mail and parcel delivery fleet in Germany.
The first vehicles were handed over at the Mercedes-Benz branch in Cologne/Leverkusen and willbe used in the surrounding area. The remainder of the vehicles will be delivered and deployed inother German regions by mid-2011.
The new Sprinter vans meet new environmental standards and are more ergonomically designed andsafer. In addition to the delivery of the vehicles, the contract with Mercedes Benz includes suchservices as maintenance and repairs over the next nine years.
“The modernisation of our fleet is an important part of our corporate strategy. These newvehicles will allow us to meet European standards, reduce emissions and thus cut the amount ofpollution in road traffic. This makes them especially viable for the long-term in the sensitive,fine-particulate zones in German downtown areas,” said Thomas Zuber, Head of Business DepartmentMail Delivery and DHL Parcel at Deutsche Post DHL.
Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, echoed his enthusiasm: “We are very excited aboutthis major order and are proud that such an important customer as Deutsche Post DHL relies on ourvehicles,” he said.
The 3.5-ton Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 310 CDI/4325 is equipped with a low-emission Euro 5 engineand will replace a major portion of the old Mercedes-Benz models in the fleet with Euro 3 engines.Compliance with the EURO 5 emissions standard ensures the reduction of such exhaust emissions asnitrogen oxide and soot particles from light passenger and commercial vehicles. Compared with theprevious models, the new delivery vehicles produce 40% less nitrous gases. The EURO 5 emissionsstandard is based on a European Union emissions directive that was introduced in 2009.
The vehicles are also equipped with an optimised integral box body that allows for a very lowback entry, which gives drivers more headroom when standing. All vehicles come standard with thelatest version of the Electronic Stability Control program, a system that measures the weight andposition of the load and makes optimal adjustments if the vehicle starts to skid. The Sprintersalso have adaptive brake lights. During emergency braking, the brake lights blink rapidly to givevehicles behind an extra warning, a feature that may help reduce rear-end collisions.
Deutsche Post DHL said that the deployment of the new vehicles is another important element ofits GoGreen Program, which aims at improving carbon efficiency by 30% by 2020. To help accomplishthis ambitious goal, the Group has been gradually replacing its air and ground fleets, working onprojects for alternative vehicles, and training its drivers in fuel-efficient driving methods.
