DHL Express has ordered 100 pickup and delivery vans fuelled by liquefied propane gas, inresponse to demands from customers for greener and more-sustainable solutions.
The vans will be in operation by late August in California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri andTexas, equipped with an alternative fuel system supplied by Roush CleanTech.
As a part of DHL’s ongoing efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, under the company’sGoGreen programme, the vans will join a number of propane vehicles already at work in the states ofOhio, Tennessee and Louisiana. The use of propane fuel is estimated to save an average of more than10 kg of CO2 emissions per year and vehicle, and reduce greenhouse gases by up to 25%.
“Customers in the US and worldwide are increasingly demanding greener logistics and sustainablebusiness procedures,” said Ian Clough, CEO of DHL Express US. “Initiatives like our ‘all-green’fleet in Manhattan and this propane autogas fleet not only lower our DHL carbon footprint, but area smart, clean and cost-effective choice for our business.”
DHL Express plans to use the existing public refuelling infrastructure in addition tosupplementing its service centres with refuelling capability. Since the infrastructurenecessary for propane fuel is less expensive than for other alternative fuels, and with a densenetwork of stations across the USA, DHL’s choice of propellant also serves to benefit the companyfrom a financial point of view.
Worldwide, the DHL fleet – including its corporate brands under Deutsche Post DHL – includesmore than 4,000 vehicles powered by alternative fuels or modified for improved fuel-efficiency,including an ‘all-green’ fleet in Manhattan with 50 hybrid vans and 30 fully electric trucks.
