DHL has announced a multi-year global partnership with the FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s first global electric car racing series, which will begin in September 2014. The new Championship will feature single-seater, open-cockpit cars powered exclusively by electricity.
The partnership was announced in conjunction with the unveiling of the official Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car during the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt on September 10, 2013. As the logistics provider and Founding Partner of Formula E, DHL was responsible for transporting the car from Paris to Frankfurt.
– The FIA Formula E Championship is more than just another car race – said Ken Allen, CEO of DHL Express. – It creates a global platform for promoting sustainable development and the future of mobility, providing an answer to one of the most pressing challenges of the modern world. As a pioneer in developing environmentally friendly logistics solutions, DHL is committed to the same future as Formula E. Through our global environmental protection program, GoGreen, we have already begun incorporating e-mobility solutions into our operations. Today, we are proud to begin this journey of discovery and innovation together with the FIA Formula E Championship.
– As part of our first official task for Formula E, DHL Global Forwarding, Freight transported two Spark-Renault SRT_01E single-seater cars from the Paris-based company Spark Racing Technology, which designed and built the new zero-CO2 emission race car, to the presentation ceremony at the Frankfurt Motor Show – said Roger Crook, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. – All emissions generated by this transport will be offset by investments in the GoGreen investment portfolio managed by DHL through certified international climate protection projects.
In the context of the Championship series, DHL will provide the FIA Formula E Championship with a wide range of logistics services using the most effective and eco-friendly technologies and processes currently available. For the ten race locations around the world, DHL will ensure the safe and timely delivery of all race cars, spare parts, and lithium-ion batteries.
– We are delighted to have found such an experienced and reliable partner for our logistics needs as DHL – said Alejandro Agag, CEO of Championship promoters Formula E Holdings. – DHL’s long-term cooperation with other racing championships has proven fruitful for both parties and has provided exceptional value. Furthermore, DHL has already accumulated comprehensive knowledge and experience in e-mobility and urban logistics, which makes this partnership a perfect match. The logistics side of our Championship is a great opportunity to demonstrate how to transport 40 cars and all associated parts while reducing the carbon footprint of this operation. The strategy is not just to offset. First and foremost, we will strive to minimize emissions, and what remains will be offset so that the Championship is a zero-carbon event. Today, we are becoming a “GoGreen” Championship.
DHL is a leading provider of sustainable logistics solutions. The company is a leader in numerous industry sectors, particularly when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions and introducing new technologies. Thus, the concepts of e-mobility and zero-carbon vehicles are key elements in achieving Deutsche Post DHL’s goal of reducing CO2 emissions from its divisions and its transport subcontractors by 30% by the year 2020.