VW partners with DHL Express for test of electric vans in SA

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has partnered with DHL Express for a pilot test of the ID.Buzz Cargo delivery van fleet in SA.

Four ID.Buzz Cargo vans will operate from the DHL Express Service Centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban for six months. The battery-powered vehicles will be used for last-mile delivery services as part of DHL’s local pilot test of its global zero emissions logistics target.

The test fleet will assist Volkswagen to build awareness of its electric vehicles in SA and to obtain learnings that are key for the brand’s EV strategy.

Thomas Milz, Director of Sales and Marketing at VWSA, said: “Our partnership with DHL Express on the ID.Buzz Cargo test fleet marks the beginning of Volkswagen’s long-term plan to gradually introduce its electric vehicles in the local market.

“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, MD of DHL Express SA, said: “We have a responsibility to set an example in our industry and be a sustainability leader. DHL Express has committed to achieving zero emission 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.”

The ID.Buzz Cargo is a battery electric minivan launched by VW in 2022, and part of the Volkswagen ID. series of cars that are purpose-built EVs instead of repurposed internal-combustion engine cars.

The design of the ID. Buzz is inspired by the Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) Microbus and has a claimed range of more than 400km per battery charge.

It has 3,900l of cargo volume and can carry up to two euro pallets, with access to the load bay via dual sliding side doors and an option between a liftgate or dual wing doors. Depending on the configuration, the cab can accommodate two or three people.

VW SA is also looking at bringing in passenger versions of the ID.Buzz (available with five or seven seats), and the electric ID.4 crossover, but probably not before 2025. VW SA spokesperson Andile Dlamini says the company is first awaiting an EV policy from government which will hopefully offer incentives to keep prices of electric cars down, as they are not affordable to most motorists. He added that VW will look at different forms of retailing EVs to make them more attainable, including leasing instead of purchasing.

In his medium-term budget speech on November 1, finance minister Enoch Godongwana promised to announce details of government’s policy for new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in next February’s budget speech. However, government has missed several previous deadlines, leaving the local motor industry frustrated.