DHL is switching completely to ‘green delivery’ in the New York district of Manhattan with therollout of 80 new hybrid and electric trucks to considerably reduce CO2 emissions in the city.
Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL, announced the company’s initiative inNew York City as he presented the inaugural vehicles in the 80-vehicle fleet.
“Sustainability, especially the reduction of carbon emissions, is a central aspect of ourbusiness and an integral part of our corporate strategy. As the global leader in logistics we areideally positioned to foster climate protection in order to save our environment for futuregenerations. As customers worldwide are increasingly demanding greener logistics, sustainablebusiness procedures and initiatives like the one we are launching today will – at the same time –also enhance the profitability of our business,” he explained.
By September 2011, DHL Express will operate 30 American-made, battery-powered electric vans and50 hybrid trucks that will cut down fossil fuel use and in combination reduce CO2 emissions by morethan 50% each year in comparison to conventional vehicles.
The two types of green vehicles to be used in New York City by DHL Express are beingmanufactured in the USA by Azure Dynamics, a world leader in the development and production ofhybrid electric and electric commercial vehicles. Ford Motor Co. has produced the chassis for thesevehicles.
The Balance Hybrid Electric vehicle components combine Azure’s hybrid power train with a FordE450 chassis. By converting DHL’s existing Ford E450s into hybrids, the vehicle’s fuel economy willimprove by up to 40% while emissions will be reduced by about 30%.
Azure will also integrate its Force Drive electric power train into new Ford Transit Connectvans. Using an advanced lithium-ion battery, the van can achieve a range of up to 80 miles on asingle charge and can be recharged overnight. The Transit Connect Electric is virtually silent,thus reducing exterior and interior noise, and has zero tailpipe emissions.
DHL said the multi-million dollar investment in the modern, environmentally-friendly vehicles isan integral part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group’s global GoGreen strategy, which has the goal ofimproving the company’s carbon efficiency worldwide by 30% by 2020, compared to 2007 base levels.In a large international city like New York, this fleet investment allows DHL to serve customerswith sustainable solutions and improved resource efficiency.
David Bragdon, Director of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability for New York City, commented:“New Yorkers can have cleaner air and efficient freight delivery, thanks to this effort to reducethe emissions from the delivery trucks our just-in-time economy depends on.”
In the second quarter of 2011, DHL Express in the USA will also launch the GoGreen carbonneutral shipping service, joining over 30 other countries in the DHL network that already offerthis service.
In the past year, DHL has upgraded its delivery vehicles worldwide, including in severalEuropean and Asian countries as well as in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Paraguay in theAmericas region.
