The German Postal Service wants to make its own electric cars and sell them. Its own fleet is to contain 30,000 electric “street scooters.”
Back in December, German logistics giant DHL took over (report in German) StreetScooter, electric vehicle startup. They began working together in 2011 to come up with a tailor-made vehicle for DHL / Deutsche Post. A prototype was presented in 2012, and around 20 vehicles went into use in 2013. At the end of 2014, the firm announced plans to make some 6,000 to 10,000 such electric vehicles annually.
This week, Deutsche Post announced that serial production of the first 2,000 vehicles would begin this year. The goal is to produce a total of 30,000. The company also says (report in German) that it has already received queries by third parties and is willing to sell the vehicles as soon as it covers its own demand. The firm also specifically says it is addressing a market not yet served by Tesla: utility vehicles.
Because the vans will be used in a fleet for deliveries, the range does not have to be as great; it is apparently 80 kilometers (report in German). At present, 79 such vehicles are in use, mainly retrofitted conventional vans. The StreetScooter is to be considerably lighter and allow for the driver to get in and out more easily.
The entire fleet will not, however, consist solely of electric vehicles, probably because vans used in the countryside have to travel longer distances regularly. Deutsche Post reportedly gets 90 percent of its electricity from renewables in Germany (report in German).
According to Fraunhofer ISI, electric vehicles are especially attractive in car sharing schemes and commercial fleets (press release in German). The researchers are currently investigating the matter Project entitled Electric Mobility Model Regions.
Source: Renewables International. Reproduced with permission.
