The German parcel sector has further expanded the number of electric vans. According to its own information, market leader DHL now has more than 25,000 electric vehicles in use on the so-called last mile – i.e. on the route to the household or the collection machine. This means that around 41 percent of DHL vans there are electric – by far the highest figure in the industry.
DHL has 5,000 electric vehicles more than a year and a half ago and 15,000 more than four years ago. According to the information, smaller competitor GLS now has 650 electric vehicles on German roads, more than three times as many as two years ago. By the end of the year there should be 900.
DPD also wants to increase the share of electric vehicles; the company did not provide some of them upon request. The share of electric vehicles in DPD’s total fleet is in the percentage range. At GLS it is ten percent. At the beginning of 2021, Hermes only had 190 e-vans, but according to the company there are now 720.
Packages as a symptom of the throw-away society
To make delivery climate-friendly, the industry is relying on electric cars. Environmentalists view the use of electric vehicles as positive. However, they look critically at the increasing numbers of packages and therefore the increased number of delivery vans, as these are a symptom of the throw-away society. Greenpeace, for example, advocates more sustainable consumption by ordering fewer products.
Given the growing role of online retail, the parcel sector is on a growth path. With the Christmas period, companies are now confronted with the most labor-intensive period of the year.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
