A fleet of 18 new trucks running on biofuel is reducing carbon emissions from DHLs support of Formula 1 races in Europe this year. 

The sustainably fuelled trucks, capable of running on HVO100 drop-in fuel (hydrotreated vegetable oil), will be delivering at all European F1 races in 2023. By doing so, each truck can reduce carbon emissions by 60%  when compared to standard fuels.

“As an industry leader in green logistics, the 18 trucks further contribute to a lower emission DHL fleet, where we show to our fans and customers that it is possible to bring the excitement of F1 races around the world in a sustainable way,” says Arjan Sissing, Head of Global Brand Marketing at Deutsche Post DHL Group.

The new trucks reduce carbon emissions while maintaining the same level of performance in terms of load capacity and travel distance as their diesel counterparts. Also, the handling of biofuel is safer than bunkering diesel from an environmental and security perspective.

Each truck can transport up to 40 tonnes and travel up to 3,500km per 1,000-litre tank. 

“For the European F1 leg the trucks run entirely on HVO100, which is a second-generation biofuel, meeting the standard EN15940 for paraffin fuels, as well as a drop-in fuel,” says Paul Fowler, Head of DHL Motorsports Logistics.

Creating a more environmentally sustainable future has been a key part of the partnership between DHL and F1. This includes testing more advanced technologies for the future, leveraging multimodal transport solutions, including overland and ocean freight, and using more Boeing 777 aircraft, which reduce carbon emissions by 18% compared to a traditional 747 freight aircraft.

DHL also equips its trucks with GPS to monitor fuel consumption and optimise routes. This season, the DHL motorsport team will cover around 150,000km, transporting up to 1,400 tonnes of freight per race. In addition to the race cars, tyres, spare parts, and fuel, broadcasting and hospitality equipment are also transported to the desired destination. DHL also provides comprehensive track and trace of the cargo while in transit, as well as custom brokerage, pickup, and customs clearance services. 

“We operate on a global scale and DHL plays a critical role in delivering the races and helping us address the logistical impact we have as a World Championship,” says Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1.

“Together we are continually looking for more sustainable solutions, and through innovations such as the biofueled trucks we’re able to take significant steps forward in reducing our carbon emissions and achieving our sustainability goal of being Net Zero by 2030.” 

As part of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s Sustainability Roadmap to accelerate sustainable business by 2030, the company is investing €7 billion in clean logistics operations to reduce emissions. The funds will focus on sustainable aviation fuels, road fleet electrification, and climate-neutral building design. The introduction of sustainable fuels on long haul road transport is also included in this investment plan.