Freight and Logistics Sector Giants Employ Dual Fuel Trucks for Road Haulage

UK – US – GERMANY – Whilst the rest of the planet waits with bated breath for decent, affordable electric or hydrogen powered vehicles, both private and commercial, to finally arrive and break the near monopoly which hydrocarbon fuels have held for over a century, it is important for the largest in the logistics sector to be seen to be acting in the best interests of the planet right now. The lack of a reliable, emission free and affordable long haul road haulage truck has led Deutsche Post DHL to invest further in currently available hybrid and dual fuel technology.

Until reliable electric or hydrogen powered HGV’s come to the market, the German headquartered giant is maintaining a fleet of around 8,500 vehicles with alternative drive systems and/or aerodynamic modifications. In the UK, DHL introduced 63 new dual fuel trucks that run on diesel and natural gas bringing the total fleet of such vehicles in the UK up to 95 in total with another 50 of these trucks on order.

DHL Supply Chain UK now houses a dedicated state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas refuelling station at its Bawtry campus near Sheffield for its dual fuel vehicles. The dual fuel drive system is one of the few alternative systems that also work for heavy load vehicles, the trucks at DHL UK are designed to operate at 44 tonnes as hybrid or electric vehicles cannot be used in this transport segment due to their current limited loading capacities and distance range. By adding to their green fleet, the Group says it not only acts in an environmentally friendly way, but also saves costs by using less diesel, with dual fuel vehicles typically reducing carbon emissions by up to 14%.

Deutsche Post DHL has been involved in many alternative drive system pilot projects over the years. This includes hybrid engines, electric vehicles and both natural gas and biogas vehicles as well as dual fuel and aerodynamic modifications. Electric and hybrid vehicles are especially suited for driving in stop-and-go city delivery. Since 2007, so-called teardrop trailer have been in use for DHL Supply Chain, in Manhattan, DHL rolled out an all green fleet of commercial delivery vehicles as early as 2011.

Around 80 electric and hybrid vehicles deliver in the heart of New York. And in mid-2013, Deutsche Post DHL began transforming Bonn, where the Group is headquartered, into Germany's first city with a carbon-free vehicle concept for mail and parcel delivery. Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL, comments:

"Adding these new vehicles for heavy load transport is another step in offering our customers green solutions along the entire supply chain. It's good for everyone: our customers benefit by reducing their carbon footprint, and it brings the Group closer to its goal of increasing its carbon efficiency by 30% by 2020."