• by Tanya Gazdik , December 6, 2022

Ford Motor Co. and DHL are partnering to accelerate the deployment of electric vans for the shipping giant’s worldwide operations.

Today, as part of that agreement, DHL will announce the addition of 45 new E-Transit vans to its fleet in the U.S. by the end of this year to provide first and last-mile services in the Palo Alto, California area. 

This move will support DHL’s target to have 60% of its U.S. fleet fully electric by 2030. DHL plans to order 180 more electric vans to join its eco-friendly fleet over the next two years.

The new vehicles enhance the existing Alternative Fuel Vehicle fleet for DHL Express U.S. operations that currently includes fully electric, hybrid-electric and clean internal combustion varieties, along with electric-assisted e-Cargo Cycles. 

Overall, Ford Pro will equip DHL with more than 2,000 E-Transit vans globally by the end of 2023 to enhance its position as a leader in electrified last-mile delivery. 

In addition to electric vehicles, the agreement includes access to the full suite of Ford Pro software-based products, including E-Telematics, as well as a pilot that integrates Ford Pro charging solutions to help reduce costs and optimize efficiency as a part of the two organizations’ common zero emission goals by 2050.

The signed Memorandum of Understanding also creates an opportunity for future vehicles and products co-developed by Ford Pro and DHL.

This is the largest order of electric vehicles DHL has made in the U.S., says DHL Express U.S. CEO Greg Hewitt.

“Sustainability is a significant part of our corporate roadmap, and these new electric vehicles enable us to contribute to clean air efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area, across the U.S. and ultimately, in many countries globally,”  Hewitt says in a release. 

Today’s U.S.-focused news follows a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding by Ford Pro and Deutsche PostDHL Group to speed up electrification of vans around the globe, targeting 2,000 electric vans that include solutions to address logistics specific requirements and maximize uptime, service and productivity. DPDHL currently has a fleet of around 27,000 electric vans operating within its network globally.