Buchs, 8 October 2020 - DPD Switzerland will be testing ten different electric vehicles in the city of Schaffhausen for 16 weeks. The aim is to carry out all deliveries in Schaffhausen and its surroundings completely electrically in the future. DPD is conducting this test phase together with its partners Schäfli, Target Group and ImagineCargo.
The testing period of ten electric vehicles marks an important step towards CO2-neutral parcel deliveries. The total testing period will last 16 weeks divided into two phases of eight weeks each, during which five electric vehicles are to deliver the parcels. The test phase, which began in mid-August, will continue until mid-December. During this period, all DPD Switzerland deliveries are carried out using electric means.
At the end of the test phase, the most suitable vehicle and the best delivery conditions will be clearly determined. The conclusions of this test will be used as a basis for the final procurement of electric delivery vehicles in Schaffhausen and in other towns and cities in Switzerland. Schaffhausen, with its immediate surroundings, is thus the first city where DPD deliveries are exclusively electric.
The vehicles are parked and loaded again at the Schäfli Transport headquarters in Schaffhausen. This family-owned company has been working alongside DPD Switzerland for several years and delivers parcels for DPD.
« Le projet de Schaffhouse revêt une importance capitale pour fixer les prochaines étapes du processus : nous ne nous contentons pas de remplacer les véhicules diesel par des véhicules électriques, nous ajustons également nos processus et nos infrastructures. Je suis donc d’autant plus ravi de constater que les premières réactions reçues du personnel de livraison du site de Schaffhouse concernant les véhicules électriques sont très positives », a déclaré Marc Frank, Responsable Stratégie et Innovation au sein de DPD Suisse, après les premières semaines de test.
Delivery using a combination of electric vehicles and city hub allows for a significant amount of time to be saved
In Schaffhausen, DPD Switzerland, working closely with Schäfli AG, is operating the first urban depot and city hub directly in the city centre. The parcels are sorted overnight at the Buchs hub and then transported directly by truck to the city hub in Schaffhausen. The driver can start delivering parcels the next morning using electric vehicles, without any need to sort them or make long journeys.
Since the beginning of the year, DPD Switzerland and ImagineCargo have been working together to ensure environmentally-friendly and sustainable parcel delivery. Target Group supports DPD Switzerland in all matters relating to mobility and vehicle fleet. It is therefore only natural that both partners are also decisively involved in the practical trials in Schaffhausen.
About DPD Switzerland
DPD Switzerland is one of the largest private providers of parcel and express services in Switzerland. With its 950 employees and delivery staff, the company delivers in excess of 19 million parcels a year to private and business customers. In addition to its headquarters in Buchs (ZH), it operates out of eleven locations in Switzerland and neighbouring countries. DPD Switzerland belongs to DPDgroup.
www.dpd.ch
