DHL Freight is testing new hydrogen-powered truck in Germany

A new hydrogen-powered truck, developed by vehicle manufacturer Paul Nutzfahrzeuge, is going to be tested by DHL Freight.

For a period of one year, the vehicle will be trialled in Cologne, Germany, for line hauls and distribution.

With the arrival of this new truck, DHL Group now has two hydrogen trucks in use in Germany. The other truck is used by its Post & Parcel Germany division at the Cologne West facility. DHL have made the decision to test several sustainable drive options in order to achieve their sustainability goal, which calls for decreasing emissions to under 29 million tonnes by 2030.

Thomas Vogel, CEO of DACH, UK & IE DHL Freight, described it as “crucial for us to maintain a technology-neutral approach and continue testing various sustainable solutions.”

He added: “Our ultimate goal is to determine the optimal combination of technologies and drive systems to achieve our net-zero emissions logistics target by 2050.”

The two hydrogen trucks from Paul Nutzfahrzeuge each have a weight of about 15.6 tonnes and a typical range of 400km with a trailer and 600km without.

DHL Freight and Post & Parcel Germany will operate the vehicles under Shell's Hydrogen Pay-Per-Use model, which also provides support.

In Germany, DHL currently operates 150 vehicles with zero or low carbon emissions. Further pilots are in the pipeline for 2024, including hydrogen-powered tractor-trailers.

Source: Parcel and Post Technology International

Header image: Efrem Efre