DHL pilots electric truck for long-haul cargo transport

From the newsletter 

Global logistics company DHL has launched an electric truck pilot in collaboration with Unilever and Volvo Trucks in South Africa. The pilot, which began on August 1, 2025, involves deploying an 18-metre electric Volvo FMX 6X4 truck to support Unilever's supply chain operations. The primary aim is to evaluate the economic viability of EVs compared to diesel vehicles.  

• The pilot enables DHL to see if electric trucks make sense financially without committing significant capital initially. A successful pilot could see the company invest significantly in electric trucks.  

• A number of South African supermarket chains, e-commerce firms, pharmaceutical companies and delivery outfits have in recent years made the leap to electric vans, light-duty and heavy-duty commercial trucks. 

• Our take: Companies that are piloting EVs should make their findings publicly available to inform key market players… Read more (2 min)

More details

• The electric truck will operate along standard logistics routes and be charged using infrastructure at existing Unilever facilities for the duration of the pilot. DHL's long-term objective is to transition to renewable energy for charging, further improving the vehicle's carbon footprint in future deployments. Data from the trial will be benchmarked against DHL's existing Euro 5 diesel fleet.

• “While limitations remain in scaling EV solutions, strategic partnerships like this enable us to test and capitalize on the technologies available today, proving that low-carbon logistics can be possible, even in emerging markets,” said Bremer Pauw, Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Africa.

• DHL’s pilot comes at a time when electric truck sales are growing steadily in South Africa, with brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and JAC leading the charge with models like the eCanter, eActros, FH, FM, FMX, and N-series EVs, as well as Scania and BYD. Several South African companies, including Takealot and Shoprite, have begun piloting and using these electric trucks, indicating the market's readiness for electrification.

• Shoprite, a leading retailer in South Africa, successfully piloted an electric truck from Scania in 2022. Shoprite has a fleet of more than 900 trucks and over 1,360 trailers, making it a major potential customer. The retailer was able to reduce its energy costs by using the renewable energy generated at its existing facilities to charge the truck, highlighting the potential financial benefits of switching to electric trucks. 

• Other African countries are also witnessing gradual growth in electric trucks. In Nigeria, Lafarge Cement became the first major company to use an electric truck for its operations in 2023. While European companies like Mercedes-Benz, Scania, Volvo and Man dominate the electric truck market, Chinese companies like JAC and Sinotruk are quickly gaining traction. 

• The main bottleneck for electric trucks is the lack of sufficient fast public charging infrastructure. This severely limits their range, and therefore productivity. However, a number of companies are emerging to solve these issues. An example is Kenya-based ElandX, which seeks to provide electric trucking solutions in East Africa and is currently building the required infrastructure. 

Our take

• If DHL’s trial shows cost savings versus diesel, especially on fuel and maintenance, large-scale rollouts could follow across its African operations, with Unilever and other multinationals likely to replicate the model.

• With pilots proving demand for electric trucks, investment may shift toward dedicated fast-charging and depot charging hubs. Across Africa, emerging players like ElandX could attract significant backing as infrastructure becomes the bottleneck.

• While Volvo, Scania, and Mercedes-Benz lead early deployments, cost-competitive Chinese brands like JAC, Sinotruk and BYD could rapidly capture market share as companies look for affordable scaling options.