DHL Express has added 10 electric courier vans to its London fleet ahead of plans to deploy 400 EVs on UK-wide by 2025.

DHL Express has started to roll out electric vehicles across its fleet, with 10 new vehicles taking to London roads this week

Working towards Deutsche Post DHL Group’s target of zero logistics-related emissions by 2050, the Renault Master Z.E. electric vans are being used to serve customers from service centres around London, making use of the vehicles’ range of approximately 75 miles and capacity of around 10m3.

Richard Crook, director of fleet at DHL Express, said: “In our ambition to become the most environmentally friendly provider on the market we have to balance the needs of customers with protecting and respecting the planet. Recent innovations within battery range and battery technology mean we can now deploy these more sustainable vehicles as part of our fleet and be confident in their ability to meet operational requirements, reducing our reliance on internal combustion engines.

“As electric vehicle innovation continues and the range a vehicle can cover on a single charge grows, we plan to expand the electric fleet outside of city locations,” he added.

The vans are being accompanied by a range of other eco solutions, including cycling solutions, which can be used for dense delivery areas in city centres and are currently undergoing long-term trials by DHL Express in a number of UK cities, including London, Manchester and Leeds.