DPD reduces carbon emissions with first electric Longer Heavier Vehicle combination (LHV)

DPD’s ambition is to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2040. Together with three of its biggest transport companies, DPD is embarking on the next step in carbon emission reduction. Part of this involves new agreements between DPD and transport company Rebro about the use of the first electric LHV (Long Heavier Vehicle). And transport companies Diebel and Schuck are focusing on using the new fuel HVO100 for all their transport for DPD.

The parcel delivery service is at the heart of society and thus part of the corporate social sustainability issue. DPD takes responsibility by looking beyond laws and regulations and exploring what an organisation can do itself and what partnerships it can enter. ‘A lot of DPD's carbon emissions are caused by transporting parcels in trucks that drive from depot to depot and between hubs. The transport companies working with DPD therefore play an important role in improving sustainability,’ says Rick Pardoel, COO of DPD in the Netherlands.

Rebro: 450 km on green power
Rebro started in 2000 with 2 trucks and 3 drivers. Now, the company has a total of 100 trucks and 200 drivers. 40 of these trucks drive for DPD in the Netherlands and Belgium, a quarter of which are LHVs. Recently, one of these is an electric LHV on DPD'S Etten-Leur/Veenendaal route, covering 450 kilometres per journey on green power. ‘Rebro has been working with DPD since 2000 and is our first transport company to use an electric LHV. With their business operations focusing strongly on sustainability, they also contribute to our sustainability goals and those of our customers,’ says Pardoel.

Diebel and Schuck: switch to HVO100
Diebel and Schuck are the two biggest international transport companies for DPD. With a total of 55 trucks, they cover an average of 20,500 kilometres every day for DPD in the Benelux. Diebel mainly operates in Germany, driving to a quarter of DPD's depots in Germany. Schuck mainly operates on the routes to the UK, France and Germany. Together, Diebel and Schuck drive around 25% of the total kilometres covered by DPD transport companies in the Benelux between distribution centres, warehouses and sorting centres. All trucks used by Diebel and Schuck on DPD routes will now drive on HVO100 fuel. Thereby, they follow Vos Logistics, which switched to using this fuel on all DPD shipments in July. ‘Using HVO100 results in a significant 90% reduction in emissions of nitrogen, soot and fine particles,’ says Rick Pardoel.

DPD's ambition: to be the most sustainable parcel delivery service in Europe
In 2025, DPD ‘s deliveries will be fully low emission in the 350 biggest cities in Europe, including 45 cities in the Netherlands. In Europe, DPD now has a total of 8,500 low-emission vehicles. These are vehicles powered by electricity, biogas and biofuel. This fits with DPD's ambition to become Europe's most sustainable parcel delivery company. DPD is the first global parcel delivery service whose short and long-term goals for reducing carbon emissions have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).