DPD and UPS are both expanding operations with electric vehicles in Germany following successfultests.
DPD has teamed up with its customer Lapp Kabel, a leading cable and connection technologymanufacturer, to operate the fully electrical vehicle Vito E-Cell in several southern districts ofStuttgart, with the aim to save over eight tonnes in CO2 emissions annually. The full operationallaunch follows a successful three-month test.
To enable emission-free deliveries in the region, DPD will use the Stuttgart headquarters of theLapp Group, which has its own solar plant, as a permanent base for the Vito E-Cell electricvehicle, manufactured by Mercedez-Benz. A new logistics concept is expected to ensure permanenttraffic reduction, thus reducing the CO2 emissions generated from parcel deliveries.
Gerd Seber, DPD’s Sustainable Development Manager, explained: “The limited cruising range ofelectric vehicles is a big obstacle for parcel operators. Thanks to Lapp Kabel, we can also serveresidential areas which until now were too far away from our branch in Ludwigsburg (north ofStuttgart). Such cooperations can thus multiply the possible areas where electric vehicles can bedeployed.”
The Vito E-Cell vehicle masters the energy-intensive height differences on the delivery roundswith energy-optimised route planning. Starting from a higher-located position, the vehicle uses thedownward slope while being fully loaded. The delivery route ends in Kaltental in the valley belowso that the bulk of the inclines can be tackled without having to worry about the load.
The packages delivered daily by the Vito E-Cell arrive via swap-body trucks from the DPD depotin Ludwigsburg to Vaihingen in the morning and are loaded onto the E-Cell. In the afternoon, a fulltruck then returns to Ludwigsburg, loaded with packages from the Lapp Group. Prior to the test run,a standard delivery vehicle was loaded in Ludwigsburg and made its way to the delivery area inVaihingen. In addition, an empty swap-body truck also drove from the depot to the Lapp Groupheadquarters to pick up the packages for the customer. The new model thus avoids the need for thetransfer of the delivery vehicle.
The Vito E-Cell is the first vehicle worldwide to be powered by an electric battery as standard.DPD was one of the first companies to begin a four-year test run in 2011, sharing its experienceswith the manufacturer in the process. With a permitted overall weight of 3,050 kg, the Vito E-Cellprovides carrying capacity of 900 kg, thanks to a relatively compact and light lithium-ion batterywith a high energy density when compared to standard batteries. In addition, an electric motor isdeliberately integrated into the shell construction. The vehicle has a cruising range of around 130km with a top speed of 80 km/h, suitable for both city deliveries and short routes in nearbyareas.
Meanwhile, UPS has started operating more electric trucks in Germany by adding six converted 7.5tonne former diesel vehicles to its fleet at the Frankfurt Fechenheim branch. The company alreadyoperates similar electric vehicles in North Rhine Westphalia.
Based on a 2010 prototype called P80E, the 15-year-old diesel delivery vehicles have beenconverted into purely electric powered trucks. Electro Vehicles Schwaben GmbH (EFA-S) developed theprototype and delivered the first converted vehicles to UPS in 2012. The latest improvements of theP80E type include full rear-wheel drive, removed control gear and enhanced software (e.g. automaticstart stop).
