Ford, DHL Group Work Together on Electric Delivery Vans

Almost every major automaker is making electric cars, but we don’t hear too much buzz about electric delivery trucks. Now, Ford and German courier company Deutsche Post DHL Group have partnered up to make electric delivery vans that will go into service in Germany by the end of this year.

The StreetScooter Work XL is based on the chassis of a Ford Transit has an electric drivetrain. This year, 150 pre-production vehicles will enter production. And by the close of 2018, DHL and Ford hope to have 2,500 vans in the fleet.

DHL says that each van can save a whopping 5 metric tons (5.5 tons) of carbon dioxide per year. And when all 2,500 vehicles have gone into service, savings could total 12,500 metric tons (13,779 tons) of carbon dioxide a year.

Intended for use in urban areas, the EV van can hold more than 200 packages, which can be loaded from the tailgate or through the sliding side door. The cargo bay is fitted with shelves for added convenience. Charging the van takes around 3 hours with a capacity of up to 22 kilowatts.

“This joint project will be Europe’s largest manufacturer of emissions-free, medium-sized e-vans, and it doesn’t come a moment too soon,” said Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president of Ford’s operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “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.”

Although they might not garner a lot of attention, there are plenty of work EVs out there. Deutsche Post DHL already has more than 3,000 other electric service vehicles in its fleet, as well as 10,500 electric bikes.

Source: Deutsche Post DHL Group

The post Ford, DHL Group Work Together on Electric Delivery Vans appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2fLzRX6