DPD drivers at its giant Oldbury hub have completed a successful test of the Terberg YT203-EV tug – a fully electric yard tractor.
The company runs a fleet of over 50 tugs to perform all trailer movements across its five centralised sorting hubs in Oldbury, Smethwick and Hinckley.
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 on test was fitted with two 78kw batteries and regenerative braking.
Universal charging means the YT203-EV can be charged at standard DC charging stations.
Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability at DPD Group UK, said: “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 at Terberg DTS, added: “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.