Frank Appel, chief executive officer of DHL, said the firm will have 80 vehicles in use by September ' 30 battery-powered electric vans and 50 hybrid trucks ' that will cut down on fossil fuel use, emitting less than half as much carbon dioxide as conventional vehicles.
'Sustainability, especially the reduction of carbon emissions, is a central aspect of our business and an integral part of our corporate strategy,” he said.
DHL plans to improve carbon efficiency worldwide by 30 percent by 2020, compared to 2007 base levels.
The vehicles will be manufactured in the United States by Azure Dynamics.
The Balance Hybrid Electric vehicle combines Azure's hybrid powertrain with a Ford E450 chassis, which DHL said will improve fuel economy to 40 percent while reducing emissions by 30 percent.
Azure will also integrate its 'Force Drive' electric powertrain into new Ford Transit Connect vans. Using an advanced lithium-ion battery, the van will reach a range of 80 miles on a single charge and can be recharged overnight.
In the past year, DHL has upgraded its global vehicle fleet, including in several European and Asian countries as well as in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Paraguay in the Americas.
In the second quarter of 2011, DHL Express in the United States will launch a 'GoGreen' carbon neutral shipping service, joining more than 30 countries in the DHL network that already offer this service.
