The DHL Group presented a new truck concept at the OECD International Transport Forum in Leipzig, developed in collaboration with the commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania. The so-called "Extended Range Electric Vehicle" (EREV) combines a battery-electric drive with a fuel-powered power generator that serves solely as a backup to power the battery.
The EREV is a 10.5-meter-long truck (without trailer) with a permissible total weight of 40 tons, driven by a 230-kW electric motor (295 kW peak). The energy currently comes from a 416-kWh battery and a fuel-powered 120-kW generator in the prototype. The next version is expected to receive a larger battery with 520 kWh. EREVs can be equipped with software that limits the use of the fuel-powered generator to ensure a guaranteed reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and to limit them to a certain level. The truck's top speed is limited to 89 km/h, and the capacity is around 1,000 packages (volume of
a swap body). In addition, the truck can tow a trailer with another swap body.
After the first 100 days in regular logistics operations, DHL draws a positive interim conclusion: The EREV not only enables stable operations but also reduces CO₂e emissions by more than 90 percent compared to a conventional diesel truck.
Practical test operation between Berlin and Hamburg
Since February, the EREV has been in use in the company's Mail & Parcel Germany division. On the approximately 250-kilometer route between the parcel centers in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin and Hamburg, the vehicle has already covered about 22,000 kilometers. The range extender was only used in exceptional cases - in cold temperatures or when charging stations were not available. In 91.9 percent of the time, the truck drove purely electrically. Overall, around 16 tons of CO₂e emissions could be saved.
Technology concept with operational advantage
The EREV concept differs from conventional hybrid vehicles: The
generator does not directly power the drive axle but only recharges the battery. As a result, the vehicle remains a pure electric truck with additional energy reserves. For logistics operations, this offers crucial advantages, especially in terms of flexibility and planning security – factors that are essential for stable supply chains.
Future perspective and policy framework
The next generation of the EREV is to be equipped with a larger battery (520 kWh instead of the current 416 kWh), according to one finding. The software control of the generator should also be further developed to further limit emissions.
DHL sees great potential for the technology in low-emission road freight transport. However, a broader market launch requires political and regulatory recognition. Therefore, DHL calls for an adjustment of road toll legislation and the introduction of an emissions-based vehicle class that considers the real CO₂ savings of EREVs. The use of renewable fuels for the generator could
also further improve the environmental balance in the future.
"We all - businesses, politics, and society - want fewer emissions through increased e-mobility in freight transport. At the same time, all experts know that the transition to fully electric trucks will take many years, mainly because the power grid and charging infrastructure are inadequate. But we shouldn't be forced to wait. We need pragmatic solutions like the EREV and swift political decisions to enable such bridging technologies. We want to decarbonize the transport sector now. Regulation should support us in this, not hinder us," says Tobias Meyer, CEO of the DHL Group.
The technology is ready for use – now it's up to policy decisions
The results of the 100-day test show that EREVs represent a practical bridging technology on the way to the full electrification of heavy-duty transport. DHL emphasizes that they are ready to deploy more vehicles – provided the legal framework
