DHL, Daimler Truck and Hylane Partner to Deploy 30 Electric Trucks in Germany

Logistics provider DHL Group, commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck, and emission-free vehicle rental firm Hylane have signed a cooperation agreement to deploy fully electric trucks in Germany, officials said on Tuesday.

Under the partnership announced at the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich, DHL will operate 30 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric trucks via Hylane’s “transport as a service” model. Instead of purchasing the vehicles, DHL will be invoiced by Hylane based on the actual kilometres driven.

The addition of the eActros 600s marks a strategic expansion for Hylane, which until now has focused exclusively on fuel cell electric trucks. Sara Schiffer, Managing Director of Hylane, described the deal as an important milestone supporting the decarbonization of transport. She emphasized that the company aims to remain technology-neutral by offering both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered trucks depending on customer needs.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, introduced in December 2024, features a 600 kWh battery and a range of approximately 500 kilometres. Daimler Truck highlights that intermediate charging during regulatory breaks can enable daily driving distances of over 1,000 kilometres. The model recently earned the International Truck of the Year award.

DHL, which operates in more than 220 countries and territories with about 600,000 employees, has been actively expanding its electric vehicle initiatives globally. This year alone, DHL announced plans for the UK’s largest EV battery service centre, new electric vehicle centres in Asia, and partnerships with Kia, Daimler’s Fuso brand, and CATL for battery storage solutions.

Schiffer said the collaboration with Daimler Truck as a leading manufacturer and DHL as a key user is “particularly valuable” and marks a strong start for Hylane’s new business segment. The 30 trucks are scheduled for delivery by the end of the second quarter of 2026 and will primarily operate within DHL’s Post & Parcel Germany division, transporting goods between parcel centres.