DHL make a substantial investment in green vans

In good news for green campaigners and advocates of sustainable fuel sources, the global delivery company DHL has made a substantial commitment towards the future, investing in another 100 propane-powered pickup vans and delivery vehicles, which will be on the road by August 2012. This investment is in addition to their existing fleet of 4,000 vehicles which run on sustainable sources of fuel.

DHL have opted for Ford-250 vans, which will be equipped with ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane gas fuel systems. Although initially operating in the US, in the states of California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas, there are plans afoot to spread DHL’s commitment to green delivery vehicles over the Atlantic and onto British shores. Perhaps surprisingly, the alternative fuel vehicles actually boast the same performance characteristics and warranty coverage as their petrol-powered counterparts.

DHL have shown their commitment to improving the carbon efficiency of their operation, and are aiming for a 30 per cent improvement on their 2007 benchmark by the year 2020. The technology at work in the propane gas vehicles will help DHL to reduce emissions by a considerable 22,587 pounds of carbon dioxide per van.

DHL is at the forefront of the drive for increasing the use of sustainable fuel sources in the courier industry, and currently has a total of 4,000 alternative-fuel vehicles in its worldwide fleet. Manhattan is the pinnacle of their push for a greener operation, with 50 hybrid vans and 30 trucks powered by electric batteries.

Of all the sustainable fuel alternatives available, DHL chose liquid propane for its most recent investment due to the increased number of refuelling stations across the US in comparison to other fuel sources.

If you’re considering investing in a commercial vehicle which runs on alternative fuel, you will not only be able to make considerable savings on the cost of petrol or diesel, you will also be likely to save on the cost of your van insurance. See what savings you could make here at Van Compare!