DPD run a fleet of over 50 tugs to perform all trailer movements across its five centralised sorting hubs in Oldbury, Smethwick and Hinckley. The company is keen to understand how the electric vehicle could help as part of the move to a more sustainable HGV fleet in the longer term.
Located in Benschop, Holland, the Royal Terberg Group specialises in the development, production and modification of special transport vehicles and systems for port terminals, logistics and waste collection. With performance similar to that of a diesel engine, the YT203-EV offers potential for more sustainable shunting as well as a better working environment for drivers.
The model on test was fitted with 2 x 78kw batteries and comprehensive regenerative braking. Universal charging means the YT203-EV can be charged at standard DC charging stations. Taking real life data from customer’s own vehicles Terberg DTS are able to give a visualisation of how the YT203-EV can work over a 24-hour period using opportune charging.
Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability, DPDgroup UK commented, “Tugs are the lifeblood of our hub operation, performing all trailer movements efficiently and safely across the five sites. The electric tug performed incredibly well. Our drivers were really impressed, especially with the ease of use and driver comfort.
“Clearly there are major advantages to the EV version in terms of emissions and the working environment for our drivers, but it was also really good to understand how the vehicles operate in a real-world scenario, including how they can be charged effectively during the day to maximise working hours.
Peter Giles, Head of UK Logistics Sales, Terberg DTS commented, “Terberg DTS are proud to be able to assist DPD on the way to Net Zero and it was great to be able to work with DPD’s drivers and demonstrate what the YT203-EV can do in their own yard. Their aim is to be one of the leaders in the march to a more sustainable fleet future and they have already amassed a lot of knowledge and experience working with EVs. We know just how versatile and effective the vehicle is, but every operation is slightly different and working on-site with their own drivers means DPD can get really meaningful feedback from those who know the job better than anyone.”
As part of Geopost, DPD UK has a Net Zero target of 2040, which is fully validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). DPD UK has confirmed that the UK operation is on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target, after delivering a 47.5% reduction in overall emissions at the end of 2024, compared to the 2020 benchmark.
Details on all of DPD’s sustainability initiatives can be found on its dedicated website. DPD is a member of Geopost, a European leader in parcel delivery and solutions for e-commerce. Part of the La Poste Groupe. The company operates more than 10,000 vehicles in the UK from 85 locations and delivers over 360 million parcels a year. DPD UK topped the Money Saving Expert parcel delivery customer satisfaction poll for the ninth time in 2024. In November 2023 DPD opened London Docklands to deliver all-electric throughout London. Currently, 35% of DPD’s van fleet is all-electric while 95% of the HGV fleet runs on biofuel. The company is on track to be Net Zero by 2040.
