From Delivery Trucks to 39,100 Electric Vehicles! The Beginning of DHL's Green Revolution

Hello, this is GLEC, a company specializing in carbon emission measurement for the logistics and transportation industry. 🌱

Have you ever checked if the delivery vehicle was electric when receiving a package? German logistics giant DHL is already leading the logistics industry's eco-friendly

revolution by operating 39,100 electric vehicles worldwide. Today, let's explore how DHL's green revolution, which started with small delivery trucks, became the core strategy of the world's 3rd largest logistics company.

🚚 If It Doesn't Exist in the Market, Make It Yourself: The Birth of StreetScooter

In 2014, DHL faced a major problem when trying to introduce electric delivery vehicles. There were hardly any commercial electric vehicles in the market suitable for logistics delivery. While the general passenger electric vehicle market was growing, it was difficult to find electric vehicles with the large cargo capacity and efficient structure needed for the logistics industry.

DHL's solution was bold: "If it doesn't exist, let's make it ourselves!" 🔧

DHL acquired electric vehicle startup StreetScooter and developed customized electric delivery vehicles by actively incorporating feedback from delivery drivers. The result was the StreetScooter Work:

Spacious 4㎥ cargo compartment
Flat loading space above the wheels
Bidirectional sliding doors with vertical handles
Ergonomically designed driver's seat

This innovative design greatly improved the work efficiency of delivery drivers, and currently, four models are active in DHL's eco-friendly vehicle fleet.

🌍 GoGreen: The First Carbon-Neutral Program in the Logistics Industry

In 2007, DHL became the first in the logistics industry to launch the GoGreen program. This wasn't just a marketing campaign, but an ambitious plan to make all logistics-related carbon emissions zero by 2050.

Interim Goals by 2030 📊:

Convert 66% or more of last-mile delivery vehicles to electric
Use 30% or more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in air transport
Use 30% or more alternative fuels across all transportation modes
Reduce logistics-related greenhouse gas emissions to below 29 million tons

As of 2024, DHL already operates more than 40% of last-mile delivery vehicles as electric, significantly exceeding the industry average.

🔌 From Two Wheels to Eighteen Wheels: Diverse Eco-Friendly Mobility

DHL's eco-friendly vehicles aren't limited to electric vans. From electric bicycles for urban delivery to large electric trucks for long-distance transport, they're reducing carbon emissions across all segments.

Electric Bicycles and Tricycles 🚲: In urban areas, 27,000 electric bicycles and cargo bikes are active. They enable fast delivery while avoiding traffic congestion and contribute greatly to urban environment improvement by generating no noise or air pollution.

Electric Vans and Small Trucks 🚐: In 2025, DHL added 63 NGEN-1000 electric delivery vans to the US market. These vehicles can travel 160km on a single charge and reduce knee and back strain for delivery drivers with their ultra-low design.

The Challenge of Large Electric Trucks 🚛: In May 2025, DHL announced the results of a 100-day test of an innovative EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) truck co-developed with Scania. This truck traveled 22,000km on the Berlin-Hamburg route, operating more than 90% in electric mode and achieving 90% carbon emission reduction compared to regular diesel trucks.

Additionally, by 2026, they plan to introduce 30 more Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric trucks, which represents the largest electric truck contract in Germany.

💡 Innovative Approach: Book & Claim System

DHL's GoGreen Plus program adopts an innovative approach that 'reduces' rather than simply 'offsets' carbon. 🌿

How the Book & Claim System Works:

Customer selects GoGreen Plus service and pays additional fee
DHL uses these funds to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
Actual carbon emission reduction through SAF usage
Customer receives certified carbon reduction certificate

This system enables global carbon reduction by allowing environmental benefits to be traded regardless of SAF's physical location.

🏆 Why This Is the Secret to Being World's 3rd Largest

DHL's eco-friendly strategy has become a source of competitiveness rather than just a cost:

1. Improved Customer Trust 📈: Corporate customers who value ESG prefer DHL, and products including green solutions account for more than 50% of total revenue.

2. Improved Operational Efficiency ⚡: Electric vehicles have lower maintenance costs and higher energy efficiency, reducing operating costs in the long term. Each electric vehicle saves approximately 6,400 liters of diesel and 20.4 tons of CO2 emissions annually.

3. Regulatory Risk Response 🛡️: Proactively responding to strengthening environmental regulations such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to ensure business continuity.

4. Innovation Culture 💪: The StreetScooter development experience instilled DHL with an innovation culture of 'nothing is impossible,' leading to various eco-friendly technology developments.

🚀 Journey Toward the Future

DHL's green revolution continues. In February 2025, DHL and Neste signed a contract to receive 300,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel annually until 2030. This is expected to dramatically reduce carbon emissions from air transport.

They're also continuing investments in future technologies such as hydrogen trucks and electric aircraft, with plans to electrify 100% of airport ground equipment by 2032.

Conclusion

DHL's green revolution, which started with small delivery trucks, is now becoming the standard for the global logistics industry. ESG is no longer a choice but a necessity, and DHL has positioned itself as the world's 3rd largest logistics company through this approach. 🏅

Would your company also like to enhance competitiveness through carbon emission reduction?

#DHL #ESG #CarbonNeutral #ElectricVehicles #LogisticsInnovation #EcoFriendlyLogistics #SustainableManagement #GoGreen #GreenLogistics #CarbonEmissionReduction

For carbon emission measurement consultation and inquiries, please visit the GLEC website.

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