OREANDA-NEWS. December 24, 2014. Deutsche Post DHL, the world's leading postal and logistics group, signed an agreement to acquire StreetScooter GmbH, a former start-up that is committed to the mission of developing affordable electric vehicles.

As a result of the agreement, which is still subject to antitrust approval, the company will also acquire the development and production rights to vehicles as well as the employees of StreetScooter GmbH. StreetScooter GmbH is a spin-off of RWTH Aachen and a consortium of approximately 80 industrial companies in the automotive industry and related sectors. It was established in 2010 and employs a staff of 70 at its base in Aachen. Since 2013, approx. 200 StreetScooters have been produced annually at the former Talbot/Bombardier plant in Aachen.

The successful working relationship began with the development of the StreetScooter. Since then, it has expanded to other areas, including pedelecs and trikes – and the Group plans to continue working closely with RWTH Aachen in the future.

First pre-series vehicles since 2013

The first prototype of the StreetScooter was unveiled in 2012, and the first pre-series vehicles have been in service since 2013. About 20 vehicles are already included in the electric car fleet as part of the pilot project CO2-free deliveries in Bonn. In this project, Deutsche Post DHL is converting its entire mail and parcel operations in Bonn, where the company is headquartered, to electric mobility by 2016. Nearly 50 more StreetScooters are being used by various Deutsche Post sites across Germany. By 2015, approx. 100 StreetScooters will be in operation at Deutsche Post DHL.

Investment in and the subsequent use of alternative drive systems significantly lowers CO2 road traffic emissions. Deutsche Post DHL is a pioneer in the use of alternative drive systems and actively promotes both research into and the use of these systems in projects with a number of automakers worldwide. Today, the world's leading postal and logistics group uses more than 11,800 vehicles with alternative drive systems, fuels and aerodynamic modifications, including more than 300 electric vehicles. This effort is part of the "GoGreen Program" at Deutsche Post DHL. As part of this initiative, the Group has become the first logistics service provider to set a concrete environmental protection goal: By 2020, it intends to improve its CO2 efficiency by 30 percent compared with its level in 2007. To reach this goal, the company has taken a great number of steps, which include more efficiently managing traffic flows, modernizing its transport fleet and using renewable energies.