DHL Express and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have joined forces to launch a pilot test of an ID.Buzz Cargo fleet in South Africa. The six-month trial will feature four ID.Buzz Cargo units strategically placed at DHL Express Service Centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. These electric vehicles will be dedicated to specialized last-mile delivery services during the testing period.
Thomas Milz, the Director of Sales and Marketing at VWSA, expressed that the collaboration with DHL Express on the ID.Buzz Cargo test fleet marks the initial phase of Volkswagen’s gradual introduction of electric vehicles into the local market. He stated, “At the end of the pilot test, we hope to have gathered sufficient information and insights on the readiness of the local market for the introduction of a commercial electric vehicle such as the ID.Buzz Cargo. We are very excited to partner with DHL, who shares a similar commitment of zero emissions by 2050 in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Jed Michaletos, Managing Director of DHL Express South Africa, added, “DHL Express has committed to achieving zero emissions by 2050 through a number of initiatives, one of which is ensuring that we have at least 60% electric vehicles for last-mile deliveries by 2030. We are excited to partner with VWSA to pilot their ID.Buzz in our South African operations.”
This move follows Volkswagen’s presentation of plans for an electric pickup truck, the Amarok, which the company intends to manufacture in South Africa. The collaboration between DHL Express and Volkswagen in the South African market aligns with global efforts to transition toward sustainable and zero-emission transportation solutions. Notably, DHL Express aims to play a part in this transition by incorporating electric vehicles into its fleet, contributing to its target of achieving zero emissions by 2050.
