Deutsche Post DHL and Ford unveil electric delivery van

Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford have unveiled their jointly produced e-van in Germany.

The StreetScooter WORK XL is based on a Ford Transit chassis fitted with a battery-electric drivetrain and a body designed and built to Deutsche Post DHL specifications.

Around 150 early build e-vans will be manufactured in the StreetScooter plant in Aachen, in Germany and DHL will use the vehicles to support its urban parcel delivery service in Germany.

The two firms plan to build 2,500 e-vans by the end of 2018 and like StreetScooter’s existing electric models – the WORK and WORK L – the WORK XL could be also sold to third-party customers.

Each WORK XL could save around five tonnes of CO2 and 1,900 litres of diesel fuel each year.

With 2,500 vehicles in service as planned, this could result in a total saving of 12,500 tonnes of CO2 and 4.75 million litres of fuel every year.

Jürgen Gerdes, member of the board of management post – eCommerce – Parcel, at Deutsche Post DHL Group, said: “The new StreetScooter WORK XL expands our e-fleet in the commercial vehicle segment.

“It is the perfect vehicle for parcel deliveries in major cities and large urban areas, and will enable us to cope with the rising parcel volumes in an even more environmentally friendly and quieter manner. With this commitment, we are also underlining our claim of being the market leader in green logistics.”