DHL Tests Africa’s First Electric Volvo Truck in Partnership with Unilever to Drive Greener Logistics
DHL Supply Chain has launched a landmark electric vehicle (EV) pilot in South Africa, partnering with Unilever and Volvo Trucks to advance sustainable freight transport on the continent.
The project introduces Africa’s first fully electric Volvo FMX 6X4 tractor, coupled with an 18-metre curtain-sided superlink double trailer, to support Unilever’s supply chain operations.
The pilot aims to measure performance, sustainability benefits, and cost-effectiveness of EVs compared with traditional diesel-powered fleets, while testing their viability in Africa’s developing EV infrastructure landscape.
DHL Supply Chain Africa managing director Bremer Pauw said the initiative reinforces the company’s commitment to low-carbon logistics:
“While limitations remain in scaling EV adoption, strategic partnerships like this allow us to test and prove that greener logistics is possible, even in emerging markets,” Pauw said.
Volvo Trucks South Africa, which already assembles Euro 5 trucks locally, sees the pilot as a step toward accelerating Africa’s transition to sustainable freight solutions.
“This initiative shows that collaboration is key to driving cleaner, low-emission transport technologies in Africa,” said Eric Parry, Volvo’s senior manager of Sustainable Solutions.
The electric Volvo will operate along existing logistics routes and be charged using Aeversa infrastructure installed at Unilever facilities.
Performance data will be benchmarked against DHL’s Euro 5 diesel fleet, which already reduces emissions compared with South Africa’s current Euro 2-equivalent standards.
Unilever South Africa National Transport Manager Simphiwe Dlamini said the pilot aligns with the company’s sustainability vision:
“Unilever is committed to achieving net-zero emissions across our operations by 2039. Collaborations like this are vital to building a greener supply chain.”
