DHL Freight has moved a European-built SuperPanther eTopas 600 battery-electric heavy-duty truck into regular commercial operations in the Netherlands. Since September 2026, the vehicle has been handling domestic transport and cross-border journeys to Belgium, covering approximately 2,000 kilometres per week.
The deployment follows a two-week practical test in Austria and is intended to assess how electric heavy-duty trucks can operate within existing logistics networks without being limited to fixed shuttle routes.
Battery Capacity and Charging Performance
The SuperPanther eTopas 600 is equipped with a 621 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery supplied by CATL. It delivers 394 kW of continuous power and up to 692 kW at peak.
The truck supports charging through two CCS2 connectors, with a combined maximum charging power of 660 kW. Under suitable conditions, the battery can charge from 20% to 80% in up to 38 minutes.
DHL cites a range of up to 500 kilometres per charge for its operational deployment, while the vehicle’s technical specifications indicate a maximum range of 560 kilometres.
Results From Practical Testing
During the two-week test in Austria, the truck covered approximately 1,900 kilometres, averaging 238 kilometres per day. DHL reported electricity consumption of 102 kWh per 100 kilometres and estimated savings of around 930 kg of CO₂ equivalents compared with the reference scenario used in the trial.
The company plans to share data from regular operations with SuperPanther to support the development of future vehicle generations.
SuperPanther Expands European Production
DHL Freight and SuperPanther have worked together since 2024. The first eTopas 600 built in Europe for DHL rolled off the production line in July 2026, with regular operations beginning in September.
SuperPanther assembles the truck through semi-knocked-down (SKD) production at Steyr Automotive in Austria. In October 2026, Austrian logistics provider Gartner ordered 20 units, described as the largest single order for the brand in Europe to date. SuperPanther aims to have 1,000 vehicles operating in Europe by the end of 2027.
DHL Plans Further Fleet Electrification
DHL Freight Netherlands and Belgium CEO Heidi van Eldik said the company plans to add around 40 more electric vehicles in the coming months.
DHL is also using electric trucks through partner programmes. Logistics company Pflaum, for example, operates 20 electric trucks from the Scania-Sennder joint venture Juna for DHL transport operations. Juna operates approximately 110 electric trucks across several European countries.
DHL Freight says its fleet includes around 1,700 low-emission vehicles. Beyond battery-electric trucks, the company is exploring other technologies and has signed a memorandum of understanding with SuperPanther on autonomous driving.