StreetScooter

StreetScooter Work as DHL delivery van (2016)
A prototype C16, shown in November 2014

StreetScooter GmbH is an electric vehicle manufacturer located in Aachen, Germany. In December 2014 Deutsche Post DHL Group announced that it was purchasing the company.[1] Deutsche Post DHL Group explained that electric vehicles were part of GoGreen initiative to reduce CO2 emissions.[2] In addition to replacing diesel powered vans with the electric vehicles in their own fleet, Deutsche Post DHL/StreetScooter plans to market the products to other potential customers starting in 2017.

History

In June 2010, Achim Kampker, together with Günther Schuh, founded Street Scooter GmbH; (in August 2014, it was renamed StreetScooter GmbH). This was a privately organized research initiative at the RWTH Aachen University which later became an independent company in Aachen.[3] Kampker was also the founder and chairman of the European Network for Affordable and Sustainable Electromobility. In May 2014, the company announced that the city of Aachen, the city council Aachen and the savings bank Aachen had ordered electric vehicles from the company.

Streetscooter panel van used by the Aachen district council (2015 photo)

In December 2014, approximately 70 employees were manufacturing 200 vehicles annually in the premises of the Waggonfabrik Talbot, the former Talbot/Bombardier plant in Aachen.[4] At that time, Deutsche Post DHL Group purchased the StreetScooter company, which became its wholly owned subsidiary.[5]

The company made an announcement in April 2016 of its intention to begin larger scale production of the StreetScooter Work model with 2,000 to be produced by the end of that year. In future, electric vans with a much greater range will be required to achieve the goal of replacing the entire Deutsche Post and DHL Express fleet of approximately 70,000 vehicles with electric StreetScooters.[6]

Mass production

In April 2016, Deutsche Post DHL Group announced that StreetScooter GmbH would be scaling up to manufacture approximately 10,000 of the Work vehicles annually, starting in 2017.[7] If that goal is achieved, it would become the largest electric light utility vehicle manufacturer in Europe, surpassing Renault which makes the Kangoo Z.E. and other models.[8]

Deutsche Post's 2016 annual report indicates that it plans to replace its fleet of delivery vehicles in Germany with the electric StreetScooter products "in the medium term".[9] Electric vans and trucks with a much greater range will be required to achieve the very long term goal of replacing the Group's entire fleet of approximately 70,000 vehicles with electric StreetScooter vehicles.[10]

VW Caddy (diesel) vehicles will be replaced by StreetScooter vans in the Deutsche Post/DHL fleet

Some of the Deutsche Post vans to be replaced by StreetScooters are the Volkswagen Caddy models. VW Chief Executive Matthias Mueller found that "annoying". In October 2016, he said, "[I] ask myself why Deutsche Post did not talk to our VW Commercial vehicles division about doing something similar. Let's see if we can still get a foot in the door there."[11]

In addition to producing vehicles for its corporate parent Deutsche Post and DHL Express, the Company has made marketing contacts with "numerous industries". A management board member told the media in March 2017 that one potential customer is considering a "very, very large number" of StreetScooters. More specifics would be announced in the next few months. Deutsche Post DHL Group hopes to sell at least 5,000 of the electric vans to municipalities, industrial groups and delivery companies according to an April 2017 report.[12]

The long-term business plan will require other types of models, some much larger, with entirely different equipment. StreetScooter showed a larger prototype, the Work L, in September 2016. The Company also announced that it was developing a Work Orange model with an "electro-hydraulic three-way dumper" for use by businesses that deal in trash or construction material handling. [13]

In October 2017 Streetscooter announced to build a second factory in Düren with a production capability of up to 10,000 vehicles per year. Operations are expected to begin in the second quarter 2018. [14]

Emission reduction targets

The benefits of electric vehicles are primarily reduced fuel costs and minimizing carbon emissions. The Deutsche Post/DHL GoGreen program plans to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and local air pollutants; the company has four interim goals for doing so, to be achieved by the year 2025. The long-term goal, summarized by Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer, is more aggressive. "From now until 2050, our mission will be to drive our business toward zero emissions logistics. We are setting the standard for the future of the transport sector and doing our part to help the world community reach its goal of limiting global warming to less than two degrees Celsius."[15]

Basic StreetScooter Work model

This vehicle is equipped with lithium-ion battery packs and is powered by 30 kW asynchronous electric motors. The peak/continuous output is stated as 48 kW/38 kW. The range (before the need to recharge) is said to be 50 to 80 km, depending on the weight of the load and traffic conditions. The load capacity is 710 kg.[16] The van's maximum speed is 80 or 85 km/h (about 50 mp/h). Internal volume (for cargo) is four cubic meters and the weight load is 650 kg. The body structure is made of steel and the exterior panels are made of structural plastics.[17]

StreetScooter Work L and Work Orange

Shown in September 2016 at the IAA Commercial Vehicles trade fair, the Work L prototype is a larger vehicle with double the cargo capacity and a load capacity of 1,000 kg. The range (before recharging is necessary) is estimated at "up to 100 km".[18][19]

Another version was also discussed, the Work Orange, equipped with a three-way dumper, instead of a van or box body, to be used by other types of industries.[20]

Smaller StreetScooter models

StreetScooter has received a research and development contract for pedelectric bicycles[21] and tricycles[22], single-seaters or convertibles from Swiss Post. The prototype of the Work S bike can carry loads up to 60 kg, while the Work M trike has a payload of 90 kg.[23]

References

  1. ↑ Millar Green, Sally (24 December 2014). "DHL Germany snaps up StreetScooter". Fleet Europe. International Corporate Fleet Network. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "Deutsche Post DHL acquires StreetScooter GmbH". DHL. DHL. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. ↑ http://www.futurelab-aachen.de/en/streetscooter-how-it-all-began/
  4. ↑ "Deutsche Post DHL acquires StreetScooter GmbH". DHL. DHL. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. ↑ Deutsche Post DHL übernimmt StreetScooter GmbH 9.
  6. ↑ "Deutsche Post DHL makes its own electric delivery vans". DW. Deutsche Welle. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017. Provided its StreetScooters can be produced cheaply enough compared to the alternative of buying e-vans from established auto makers, the bottom line of the world's biggest delivery services company stands to benefit from producing its own delivery vehicles - whether or not it eventually adds profits from sales of e-vans to third parties.
  7. ↑ "Streetscooter - Der tausendste Elektro-Transporter der Post". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung GmbH. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017. Die Post will ihren gesamten Fuhrpark auf Elektro-Autos umstellen. Bis dahin dauert es noch. Einen wichtigen Schritt hat das Unternehmen nun aber gemacht.
  8. ↑ Weiss, Richard (24 March 2017). "Even Germany's post office is building an electric car". Waterloo Region Record. Kitchener, Ontario. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "2016 Report" (PDF). DPHL. Deutsche Post AG. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Deutsche Post DHL makes its own electric delivery vans". DW. Deutsche Welle. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017. Provided its StreetScooters can be produced cheaply enough compared to the alternative of buying e-vans from established auto makers, the bottom line of the world's biggest delivery services company stands to benefit from producing its own delivery vehicles - whether or not it eventually adds profits from sales of e-vans to third parties.
  11. ↑ Weiss, Richard (24 March 2017). "Even Germany's Post Office Is Building an Electric Car". Bloomberg. Bloomberg. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  12. ↑ McGee, Patrick (11 April 2017). "Deutsche Post aims to double production of electric delivery van". FT. Financial Times. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Weiss, Richard (24 March 2017). "Even Germany's Post Office Is Building an Electric Car". Bloomberg. Bloomberg. Retrieved 26 March 2017. When Deutsche Post AG couldn’t find a zero-emission delivery van that met its needs, it bought a startup and developed one. Now Europe’s largest postal service may start selling those vehicles—dubbed StreetScooters—to others, showing the potential for disruption in the rapidly changing auto market.
  14. ↑ "Deutsche Post DHL Group | Oct 02, 2017: StreetScooter shifts into high gear". www.dpdhl.com. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  15. ↑ "2017 Deutsche Post AG Our GoGreen environmental protection program". DP DHL. Deutsche Post. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017. By the year 2050 we want to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero – a highly ambitious goal. To ensure progress towards the 2050 zero-emissions target, we have set four interim goals to be achieved by the year 2025.
  16. ↑ "Technical Information StreetScooter Work (Kofferaufbau)". StreetScooter. StreetScooter GmbH. 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "Electric mail deliveries: thyssenkrupp supports development of "StreetScooter" for Deutsche Post and supplies materials and components for new electric vehicle". ThyssenKrupp Turkey. thyssenkrupp. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "StreetScooter presents new "Work L" model". DPDHL. Deutsche Post DHL. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  19. ↑ "StreetScooter WORK L 2016 In detail review walkaround Interior Exterior". Youtube. MotorCarTube. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  20. ↑ "StreetScooter presents new "Work L" model". DPDHL. Deutsche Post DHL. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  21. ↑ "WORK bike". StreetScooter. StreetScooter GmbH. 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  22. ↑ "WORK trike". StreetScooter. StreetScooter GmbH. 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  23. ↑ "Technical Information". StreetScooter. StreetScooter GmbH. 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
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