Intelligent business decisions supporting clean air and climate responsibility are much appreciated here at CleanTechnica. Zero-emissions vehicle news from any manufacturer is welcomed if it seems serious, but some stories seem more promising than others.
The latest collaboration that has us skipping is news that Ford & Deutsche Post are teaming up to co-develop an electric delivery van. Technically, it’s Germany’s Deutsche Post Subsidiary StreetScooter GmbH and Ford-Werke GmbH teaming up to electrify more fleet vehicles, larger ones than StreetScooter started with.
Having proved the company’s quality with the smaller van segment by producing the emission-free StreetScooter, Deutsche Post is now partnering to similarly produce a quality design for the larger electric van model. “The chassis of the Ford Transit provides the technical basis. It will be equipped with a battery-electric drive train and fitted with a special body construction based on Deutsche Post and DHL Paket specifications,” the announcement states.
Production begins in July 2017. The expectation is that, before the end of 2018, at least 2,500 of these electric vans will support the urban delivery traffic of Deutsche Post DHL Group. “With this volume, the joint project will become the largest manufacturer of battery-electric medium-duty delivery vehicles in Europe.”
Reducing emissions is the end vision for both Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford. The companies share the same future mobility objective. The partnership moves forward fresh transportation solutions that are “outside the box” in a few ways, and completely fit the needs of the 21st century and sensible humans. (Who would have bet 3 years ago that Deutsche Post and Ford would produce electric vans together?)
“I consider this partnership another important boost for electro-mobility in Germany,” says Jürgen Gerdes, a member of the executive board of the Deutsche Post AG. “This step emphasizes that Deutsche Post is an innovation leader. It will relieve the inner cities and increase the people’s quality of life. We will continue working on completely carbon neutral CO2-neutral logistics!”
“E-Mobility and innovative traffic solutions for urban areas are key focuses for us as we transform our business to meet future challenges,” says Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president Europe, Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company. “As the leader in commercial vehicles in Europa, this partnership plays perfectly to our strengths and in StreetScooters and the Deutsche Post DHL Group we have a partner with enormous competence and a worldwide network.”
DHL’s StreetScooter has generated much interest. Prospective buyers from inside and outside Germany are considering a cost-effective, practical, zero-emissions, electric delivery vehicle lineup that seems hard to match — from any angle.
In addition to the new assembly line, manufacturing of the existing StreetScooter models will reportedly be significantly expanded as well. “StreetScooter GmbH is planning to manufacture 20,000 units per year of their successful small electrical delivery van in different versions in Aachen and another site in North Rhine-Westphalia. Today, there are already 2,500 StreetScooter in use for Deutsche Post throughout Germany.”
Related Stories:
- Mercedes Electric Truck Initiative Is Picking Up Speed
- Daimler Trucks Not Scared Of Tesla Elon Musk Jerome Guillen New Semi-Business
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