DHL Express Canada will deploy the first 10 of 110 electric vehicles in Montreal by the end of 2022, the company says

One of the largest global logistics and delivery companies, DHL Express, has announced that it will invest $15 million over the next 12 months to update its Canadian ground fleet by purchasing 110 electric vehicles.

Part of this investment will also include setting up charging stations and other related infrastructure to support their new EVs.

“We have ambitious plans to invest in electric vehicles as part of our focus on sustainability. The introduction of these electric trucks into our country is a huge step forward toward achieving our clean transport goals,” said Andrew Williams, CEO of DHL Express Canada in a press statement.

“By using these electric vehicles, we will prevent 2,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere per year. And that’s only to start.”

The first 10 electric vehicles in the DHL Express fleet will be Class 6 medium-duty trucks with a range of 290 kilometres, with battery speeds of 252 kWh. The electric trucks will be put into service in Montreal and will operate on routes leaving from the DHL gateway at the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport by the end of 2022. 

DHL is planning to add the remaining 100 vehicles to its fleet by mid-2023 in different cities including Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.

The company intends to electrify 60 per cent of its global fleet and cut its CO2 emissions to under 29 million metric tonnes by 2030.

Climate commitments

As part of an accelerated plan for decarbonization, DHL says it will spend a total of around $10 billion on initiatives around the world to reduce its CO2 emissions. Some of these initiatives include purchasing 12 fully-electric cargo planes, installing solar-powered
mobile pop-up stores in different countries and deploying electric cargo bikes in the U.S.

As well, in Canada, DHL is focused on setting up different technologies to reduce building-related emissions. For example, the company’s gateway at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is a LEED-certified building and uses 100 per cent renewable energy across the country.

“As the world’s largest logistics company, it is our responsibility to lead the way and guide the logistics industry into a sustainable future,” said Williams.

“We are determined to transition our operation into one that is net zero emissions and climate-friendly. Our customers also expect environmentally responsible services, and we are here to deliver that as well.”