DHL Group and Scania have begun testing a new plug-in battery-electric truck equipped with a fuel-powered range extender, designed to overcome charging infrastructure challenges while operating primarily on renewable electricity.
The Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV), jointly developed by DHL and Scania, is powered by a 416kWh battery alongside a 120kW combustion engine generator that provides backup power when needed. The truck is designed to operate 80% to 90% of the time on electricity, with the range extender ensuring flexibility for longer distances or when charging is unavailable.
The first vehicle was deployed in February 2025 for parcel transport between Berlin and Hamburg under DHL’s Post & Parcel Germany division. According to Tobias Meyer, CEO of DHL Group, the EREV serves as an interim solution to reduce emissions without waiting for a fully-developed charging network.
“Instead of waiting for this day to come, DHL and Scania are collaborating on a pragmatic solution for making logistics more sustainable and reducing CO₂ emissions by more than 80%,” Meyer explained. “Such reductions should be proportionally reflected in the road toll pricing and EU fleet emission scheme.”
The EREV is a 10.5m-long 6x2 tractor with a 40-tonne maximum weight, powered by a 230kW electric motor (295kW peak). The range extender generator is initially powered by petrol, with future versions planned to run on diesel or HVO.
“Where available, it could be fuelled with HVO,” DHL told Freight Carbon Zero.
The vehicle’s maximum range is 650km to 800km, depending on operational conditions. It can be refuelled at any conventional petrol station, as DHL has opted not to install dedicated refuelling points at its depots.
For charging, DHL has established its own infrastructure in Berlin and Hamburg, ensuring that the vehicle has access to depot-based recharging. A 350kW charger can fully recharge an empty battery in less than an hour.
At this stage, DHL has not disclosed cost comparisons between the EREV, full electric or diesel trucks, stating that economic viability will depend on future policy decisions.
“It is hard to say at this early point in time. It also depends on possible changes in the German toll regulation. If the carbon savings of the EREV were reflected in the toll regulation, the economic viability should be comparable to a pure BEV,” DHL explained.
Notably, the EREV has not received any government incentives or tax benefits, and there are no toll exemptions or greenhouse gas (GHG) quotas for this type of vehicle in Germany at present.
DHL is evaluating the trial based on operational range and CO₂ savings, while Scania aims to assess the range extender’s usage in real-world conditions. The focus is on its durability and whether it enables earlier fleet electrification
Deutsche Post and Scania jointly filed a patent application for the technology with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) in Munich on September 19, 2024.
Scania’s CEO Christian Levin reiterated that while full electrification is the goal, transitional technologies are necessary.
“The future is electric, but perfect must not be the enemy of good as we are getting there,” Levin said. “The vehicle we have developed together with DHL is an example of interim solutions that can enhance the scaling of decarbonised heavy transport before the transport system eventually becomes 100 percent electrified.”
The trial’s results will determine whether the EREV concept can be scaled further and how it fits into DHL’s long-term decarbonisation strategy.
