Deutsche Post DHL is testing ten emission-free Volkswagen Caddy vehicles for urban mail andparcel delivery in Germany.
From July to September 2011 the electric commercial vehicles will be tested in Potsdam andStahnsdorf, close to Berlin, for mail and parcel deliveries.
Deutsche Post and the automobile manufacturer Volkswagen will look into the suitability ofelectric vehicles in commercial fleets by testing them on delivery routes with a lot of stops. Thetests are focusing on battery innovation, handling, range and safety of the vehicles which generatehardly any noise.
“Deploying the Caddy blue-e-motion in our everyday operations gives us important insights intothe development of electric vehicles. By using electric-powered vehicles, we can deliver lettersand parcels at low noise levels and without burning fuel. And by using electricity from renewableenergy sources, we can make our delivery routes up to 100% carbon neutral. The environment is thusspared from additional air pollutants and noise,” said Uwe Brinks, member of the Mail DivisionalBoard responsible for operations.
The Volkswagen Caddy blue-e-motion is powered by lithium ion batteries that have a capacity of85 kW and a maximum speed of 120 km/h. The vehicle’s range is 110 kilometres and therefore it iswell suited as a delivery vehicle. The payload of the Caddy blue-e-motion is about 230 kilogramsless than a traditional Caddy (550 kilograms) due to the batteries housed under the floor. However,the loading volume remains the same at 4.2 cubic meters. Charging stations have been installed atthe mail depots where the vehicle batteries are recharged overnight.
Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, Speaker for the Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles,commented: “The Caddy blue-e-motion is not only a sensible ecological alternative for deliveries inurban areas, but also pays off in terms of operating costs.”
“We measured the typical day-to-day operations of a Deutsche Post Caddy with a standardcombustion engine. Our key customer Deutsche Post DHL has about 20,000 Caddy delivery vans deployedaround the country. Our results indicated that 80% of these vehicles always travel the same routeand that is not longer than 50km. Because these vehicles stop and start so much, they only reach anaverage speed of five kilometres per hour. With maximum load, the Caddy burns up to 35 litres offuel for every 100 kilometres. When used for delivery, the vans typically burn about 10 litres offuel per 100km. The electricity that a Caddy blue-e-motion consumes – converted to the equivalentfuel consumption – is 2 litres per 100 km,” he explained.
The tests are part of the project “EmiL”, which is supported by the German Federal Ministry forthe Environment, Nature, Conservation and Nuclear Safety with funding of €100 million.
