Deutsche Post has teamed up with the University of Aachen in Germany and StreetScooter GmbH todevelop a new electric car to be used for mail and parcel delivery.
The goal of the project is to create an innovative delivery vehicle that meets the specialrequirements of Deutsche Post in terms of suitability for daily operations and economic efficiency.A roadworthy prototype is scheduled for completion by autumn 2012 and will be based on the “StreetScooter platform” created by StreetScooter GmbH, a spin-off company of the Aachen Universityand a consortium of around 20 companies of the automobile industry and related industries.
The electric vehicle is supposed to handle up to 200 stops and start-up procedures and to bedeployed up to 300 days a year. It needs to have sufficient load capacity for mail and parcels aswell as robust equipment that meets all the safety requirements. DHL explained that the electricvehicles currently available on the market only partly fulfill these requirements and are noteconomical in manufacturing terms.
The electric vehicle designed especially for Deutsche Post does not need to be fast and isespecially suitable for short routes. The first development stage that goes until the beginning of2012 focuses on creating the concept for the vehicle that meets all the special delivery-relatedrequirements. On the basis of this concept, the prototype will be created, prior to the decision ona possible serial production of the vehicle.
Jurgen Gerdes, head of Deutsche Post DHL’s mail and parcel division, commented: “Protecting theenvironment is one of the stated goals of Deutsche Post DHL. Operating one of the largest vehiclefleets in Germany, we have a special interest in deploying vehicles with no emissions which areeconomically efficient and can handle the burdens of daily delivery routine. With StreetScooterGmbH and selected institutes of the Aachen University, we have found competent partners to developand produce such a customised vehicle for Deutsche Post.”
The joint project is part of Deutsche Post DHL’s group-wide environmental programme GoGreen. Oneof its important elements is testing and deploying vehicles with alternative drive system, DeutschePost DHL said in a statement.
The company’s Mail Division already uses 60 electric vehicles as well as 200 others withalternative technologies such as hybrid power trains or alternate fuels such as bio-diesel, naturalgas or liquid petroleum gas. When taking into account all the corporate divisions of Deutsche Post,the number of vehicles with electric and hybrid power trains, alternative fuels and modificationsto engine electronics and aerodynamics adds to 3,500 vehicles which contribute to environmentalprotection.
