DHL and Ford unveil their first jointly produced electric delivery van

Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford Motor Co. revealed the first of its line of new electric delivery vans in Cologne this week, known as the StreetScooter WORK XL.

The vehicle is based on a Ford transit chassis, with the body specifically designed to fit DHL’s specifications.

It is expected that 150 e-vans will be built for the remainder of 2017 in the StreetScooter plant in Aachen, Germany, with hopes of producing 2,500 units by the end of 2018.

“The new StreetScooter WORK XL expands our e-fleet in the commercial vehicle segment,” said management executive at Deutsche Post DHL, Jurgen Gerdes.

“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.”

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Each vehicle could save up to five tonnes of CO2 and 1,900 litres of diesel annually, something that will provide significant environmental benefit.

“We’re really proud of this ambitious project, and of the strong partnership we’ve developed with Deutsche Post DHL Group and StreetScooter,” revealed Ford Vice President Steve Armstrong.

“This joint project will be Europe’s largest manufacturer of emission-free, medium-sized e-vans, and it doesn’t come a moment too soon.

“Buses, cars, and of course, delivery vans play vital roles in our daily lives, but we have to find a way to make them cleaner.

“This project is a great step along this path.”