DHL Supply Chain, Diageo North America to deploy Class 8 fuel cell electric trucks in Illinois

Contract logistics company DHL Supply Chain and drink company Diageo North America announced plans to incorporate two fuel cell electric trucks into to their U.S. fleet. The Class 8 Nikola trucks will be deployed and fueled with a Hyla modular refueler from Nikola at Diageo’s Plainfield, Ill., campus. The companies called this a milestone for Illinois, as the trucks will be the first Class 8 fuel cell electric Class 8 trucks operated day-to-day in the state.

“As a global logistics company with the goal of decarbonizing its business, we’ve integrated sustainability as a fourth strategic bottom line named ‘Green Logistics of Choice’ in our newly announced Strategy 2030,” said Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation, DHL Supply Chain. “The deployment of these fuel cell electric vehicles is one of many initiatives that demonstrates how we are putting action behind our words.”

Calling Plainfield Diageo’s largest North American manufacturing hub, Marsha McIntosh, president of North America supply at Diageo said, “This initiative is part of our continued work to decarbonize our footprint in Plainfield, Ill., making our operations more efficient and sustainable.”

The Nikola trucks will be able to cover up to 500 miles on a single fill, DHL and Diageo said. Replacing two diesel trucks with their fuel cell electric counterparts is expected to reduce 80 percent of carbon emissions over the course of a year.

DHL Supply Chain, which has been Diageo North America’s contract logistics partner for over 20 years, has been actively working to develop innovative solutions that help to decarbonize its customers’ logistics operations, the announcement said. The Nikola trucks are part of a broader sustainable supply chain strategy that has included the use of battery electric vehicles, optimizing vehicle usage and routes, shifting to a multimodal approach and increased use of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay partner carriers. Diageo and DHL said these efforts have resulted in year-over-year reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for both companies.

In 2015, DHL and Diago deployed Class 8 Orange electric vehicle yard trucks, which they said were the first in the U.S. Since then, the EV fleet has grown to over 10 EV yard trucks operating at Diageo’s Plainfield location and nearly 100 across DHL Supply Chain facilities in North America.

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