DHL Express has introduced a new vehicle to its fleet in the Netherlands that will further enhance its efforts to improve its carbon efficiency. The 'Cubicycle' is a quadracycle with a removable container that has a cargo volume of one cubic meter. Key advantages of the bicycle in comparison with similar types of non-motorized transport are its volume and better integration into DHL’s operational systems. The first Cubicycle has been deployed in the Dutch city of Almere. 

The Cubicycle is built by Flevobike in Dronten, a manufacturer of recumbent bicycles. The reclining position and the speed that comes from this position are features of the Cubicycle, as well as electric power assistance that allow for faster acceleration from a starting position. 'The Cubicycle is comfortable to ride and is surprisingly agile with a tight turning circle,' said Kees de Lange, Vice President of Operations at DHL Express Netherlands. 'Despite the large container, the bike fits perfectly on bike lanes. The height of the bike has been tailored so that other riders can see over it unhindered. This is a key distinguishing factor of the Cubicycle compared to other existing high volume bicycles.'

The Cubicycle’s container is preloaded in an operational facility of DHL Express. Thanks to its dimensions (80 x 120 x 100 cm), which correspond to the size of a standard shipping pallet, it is easy to integrate into the company’s standardized shipment handling process. The container is delivered to a location near the city center, from where the bike starts its route. This makes the process even more efficient. A significant difference with the other 35 bikes DHL uses in Dutch cities is the fact that higher volume parcels can be delivered. Compared to the Parcycle (parcel transportation cycle), and also the backpack used in combination with a standard bicycle, the container of the Cubicycle offers much more space. On an average ride, it can be loaded with 125 kg of shipments and the courier is expected to cycle about 50 kilometers per day.

Deutsche Post DHL Group’s environmental protection program GoGreen aims to minimize the impact of the Group’s business on the environment, with a focus on optimizing the carbon efficiency of all operations. For this reason, the Group has set itself an ambitious climate protection goal: to improve its carbon efficiency by 30% (against a 2007 baseline) by the year 2020. Deutsche Post DHL Group has improved its carbon efficiency to date by 23%. 

GoGreen focuses first and foremost on measures to reduce energy and fuel consumption – for example by replacing older aircraft with newer, more fuel-efficient models, implementing smart network design and capacity planning and through energy-efficient buildings – before turning to environmentally sustainable energy and fuel sources. Thanks to the efficiency improvement measures, the Group has saved 19 million tons of CO2 and more than EUR 6 billion in fuel costs since 2007. As part of its overall fleet network, Deutsche Post DHL Group currently operates over 11,000 environmentally friendly vehicles including hybrids, electrified and aerodynamically adjusted cars. This comes in addition to a fleet of over 26,000 bikes of which 9,000 are electric bikes or trikes.