DHL Freight has developed a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the Paul Hydrogen Power vehicle, as part of its sustainability strategy. The 15.6-ton truck, built by Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH on behalf of Shell in Southern Germany, is based on the Mercedes-Benz Atego. This is DHL’s second hydrogen truck deployment in Germany, with another currently operational at the Cologne West plant. The hydrogen trucks, which have a range of around 400km with a trailer and 600km without, are part of DHL’s commitment to decrease emissions, which aims to reduce them to fewer than 29 million tonnes by 2030.

DHL Freight and Post & Parcel Germany use these trucks, which are exclusively serviced at Daimler Truck AG’s Commercial Vehicle Centre in Frechen. The trucks run on the Shell Hydrogen Pay-Per-Use platform, which covers the vehicle, hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and necessary services. It’s worth noting that these hydrogen trucks emit only water vapour from their exhaust, and if the hydrogen is produced using green electricity, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.

DHL Freight already has around 150 carbon-free or considerably reduced-emission cars in Germany. This comprises battery-electric cars for local use and bio-CNG and bio-LNG vehicles for long-distance travel. In 2024, DHL intends to expand its pilot projects to include battery-electric long-haul trucks and hydrogen-powered tractor-trailers.

The deployment of the Paul Hydrogen Power Truck is consistent with DHL’s commitment to developing and adopting sustainable transportation solutions. This initiative contributes to the company’s overarching goal of promoting environmentally friendly practices throughout its operations. With the hydrogen vehicles, DHL hopes to demonstrate hydrogen’s potential as a clean energy source in the logistics industry.