The truck, which has been transporting parcels between Berlin and Hamburg since February, covered approximately 22,000 kilometres during the test period. According to DHL, the vehicle operated in electric mode for over 91% of the time, using its fuel-powered generator only when charging infrastructure was unavailable. As a result, it achieved a reduction of more than 90% in CO₂ equivalent emissions compared to a conventional diesel truck, avoiding nearly 16 metric tonnes of CO₂e.
Scania’s EREV is equipped with a 230 kW electric motor (295 kW peak), a 416 kWh lithium-ion battery, and a 120 kW generator powered by petrol. The truck has a total permissible weight of 40 tonnes, a top speed of 89 km/h, and a combined range of 650 to 800 kilometres when using both the battery and generator. A next-generation version with a larger 520 kWh battery is already in development.
Unlike conventional hybrid trucks, the EREV’s generator does not directly power the drive axle but instead recharges the battery, which the vehicle uses for propulsion. DHL argues this design provides greater flexibility than fully electric models, particularly on routes where charging stations may be unavailable or unreliable.
“We need pragmatic solutions like the EREV and quick political decisions to enable such bridging technologies. We want to decarbonise the transport sector now and regulation should not hinder but support us to do so,” said Tobias Meyer, CEO of DHL Group.
The company is calling for regulatory frameworks to be adapted to reflect the actual emissions performance of vehicles like the EREV. It has proposed that toll charges and fleet emissions classifications take into account certified greenhouse gas reductions rather than assuming a binary divide between diesel and fully electric vehicles.
DHL says whether it expands its use of EREVs will depend on how the technology is treated under EU and national regulations. The German government’s coalition agreement includes support for EREVs, which DHL describes as a step in the right direction.
