DHL Supply Chain Launches Africa’s First Electric Superlink Truck With Unilever and Volvo

DHL Supply Chain has launched an electric vehicle (EV) pilot in collaboration with Unilever and Volvo Trucks in South Africa. This pilot, which commenced on August 1, 2025, marks a new milestone in advancing sustainable logistics in Africa.

The initiative involves deploying Africa’s first combination of a fully electric Volvo FMX 6X4 tractor with a curtain-sided 18-meter Superlink double trailer to support Unilever’s supply chain operations. The primary aim is to evaluate the performance, sustainability benefits, and economic viability of EVs compared to traditional diesel-powered vehicles, particularly within Africa’s developing EV infrastructure environment.

“This pilot underscores DHL’s commitment to sustainable logistics and transport solutions despite infrastructure challenges in Africa,” said Bremer Pauw, Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Africa. “While limitations remain in scaling EV solutions, strategic partnerships like this enable us to test and capitalize on the technologies available today, proving that low-carbon logistics can be possible, even in emerging markets.”

Volvo Trucks South Africa, has long championed cleaner technologies in the market. Its Euro 5 trucks, available in South Africa since 2012, are already helping DHL customers reduce their environmental footprint by using the best commercially available technology. With the Electric tractor, Volvo is now bringing  advanced emission reduced technologies to the market by offering the latest in advanced vehicle technology.

“As part of our sustainability commitment, we’ve proactively introduced cleaner transport solutions, including assembling Euro 5 trucks locally ahead of regulation,” said Eric Parry, Senior Manager Sustainable Solutions, Volvo Trucks South Africa. “This pilot reflects our belief that collaboration is key to accelerating Africa’s transition to sustainable freight transport.”

The electric tractor used with the Superlink will operate along standard logistics routes and be charged using infrastructure supplied by Aeversa at existing Unilever facilities for the duration of the pilot.  DHL’s long-term objective is to transition to renewable energy for charging, further improving the vehicle’s carbon footprint in future deployments. Data from the trial will be benchmarked against DHL’s existing Euro 5 diesel fleet, which already has lower greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption compared to the current vehicle emission standards in South Africa broadly equivalent to Euro 2 standards. 

“Unilever is committed to achieving net-zero emissions across our operations by 2039. Collaborations such as this pilot with DHL and Volvo Trucks are crucial steps toward reaching our sustainability objectives, enabling us to test and implement innovative transportation solutions that foster a greener supply chain,” said Simphiwe Dlamini, National Transport Manager, Unilever South Africa.

Outcomes from this initiative will shape future sustainability strategies and potentially accelerate the broader adoption of electric trucks within DHL’s operations across Africa.