On July 15, hundreds of SAIC MAXUS eDELIVER3 (EV30) were neatly parked at the Shanghai Haitong Terminal, and were loaded onto the ro-ro ship next to them and headed for Europe. As the first batch of 300 EV30s purchased by DHL, they will soon become a member of DHL's European logistics network. This order is not only the largest single order of a Chinese brand in DHL's European region, but also makes SAIC MAXUS the Chinese brand with the largest number of purchases in DHL's European region, symbolizing the upgrading of the commercial cooperation between the two parties.
Behind all this, we can see that China's new energy technology is promoting the green revolution in global logistics, and the solutions brought by China's smart manufacturing are accelerating an industrial transformation driven by technology, standards and concepts.
Endorsed by global giants, China's new energy vehicles have become a "key puzzle piece" for green logistics
It is no exaggeration to say that the global logistics industry is undergoing a green revolution that is not well known but is earth-shaking. As many major economies around the world have begun to enact more stringent carbon emission regulations, the "carbon neutrality" goal has become a survival test for international companies, and logistics giants such as DHL are facing the urgent task of transforming their fleets to electrification.
However, as a logistics giant with global business, DHL cannot relax its selection criteria for vehicle suppliers even when facing the pressure of transformation and change. Hard indicators including technical reliability, scenario adaptability, and full life cycle service response must all be met. Among the many competitors, a Chinese automaker stood out: SAIC Maxus.
Why can SAIC MAXUS beat so many competitors? The answer lies in the eight-year cooperation between the two parties. Since the cooperation began in 2017, SAIC MAXUS's electric vehicles have spread across four continents along DHL's logistics network. From the streets of Germany and France, to the mountain roads of Chile and Peru, to the vast land of Australia, SAIC MAXUS's products have withstood the test of complex global environments.
"Last year, our first batch of 50 EV30s were put into trial operation in Germany into DHL's last-mile delivery network, winning the trust of the European team with 'zero failure rate' and 98% attendance rate." Yang Huaijing, Chairman of SAIC Commercial Vehicle Executive Committee and General Manager of SAIC Maxus, revealed this key detail to us next to the vehicles to be shipped.
It is this accumulation of trust that made the 300-unit order a natural success. This order has made SAIC MAXUS the Chinese brand with the largest purchase volume by DHL in Europe, and has become an important milestone in the upgrading of cooperation between the two parties. From this, we can easily see that the excellent products made in China are reshaping the global green logistics equipment system and bringing solutions to more global business giants.
Comprehensive optimization from technology to scenarios, cracking the "going global code" of Chinese smart manufacturing
As a traditional developed market for the automobile market, the European market is known as the "touchstone of the automobile industry". The Euro NCAP safety rating, regional regulatory adaptability and other standards are strict thresholds that have rejected many global brands. SAIC Maxus EV30 was able to break through the layers of screening and win the favor of DHL, relying on its hard power to accurately hit the core needs of European logistics.
In terms of technology, the EV30 is equipped with the industry's first pure electric exclusive platform, which completely breaks away from the limitations of "oil-to-electricity". Its urban road range exceeds 400 kilometers, and it can be charged to 80% in 30 minutes, which perfectly matches the stringent requirements of European logistics companies for range and energy replenishment efficiency, as well as the high-intensity operation rhythm.
In terms of safety performance, SAIC MAXUS has demonstrated its strength as a "global five-star safety professional". The EV30 series of models has won the five-star safety rating for commercial vehicles under the new European Euro NCAP 2025 regulations, making the international quality of "China Smart Manufacturing" win the wide trust of international customers.
In addition to its hardcore technology and excellent safety, the EV30's scenario adaptation capability is also a major winning magic weapon. In response to DHL's needs, the SAIC Maxus European team has carried out scenario-based upgrades to the EV30, including iterations of the battery thermal management system, chassis durability optimization, and improved fast charging efficiency. Its 540mm ultra-low cargo platform design significantly improves loading and unloading efficiency, while the 6.3 cubic meters of the largest cargo space in its class ensures maximum single-transport volume. Compared with traditional fuel vehicles, this scenario-based adaptation allows users to complete the most cargo transportation in the least number of logistics times, creating more value for users.
Talking about the product adaptability of EV30, Arixin, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Greater China, said: "Through scenario matching in many European countries, we found that SAIC MAXUS EV30 can accurately adapt to the European city distribution scenarios. In terms of battery life, loading space, charging efficiency, after-sales guarantee, and even satisfying the company's local humanistic care, SAIC MAXUS almost perfectly meets our working conditions in Europe and other regions around the world." Not only that, she also said that many companies, including DHL, have "turned from 'trying' to 'trusting'" Chinese new energy vehicles represented by SAIC MAXUS new energy commercial vehicles.
SAIC Maxus' products adapt to the EU's stringent standards, even exceed or even recreate the standards, and ultimately achieve "reverse output" of technical standards. This is the real logic behind DHL's choice of SAIC Maxus and signing the "largest order" with it.
How can China's automobile industry upgrade and win under the green wave ?
In fact, it is not just about the output of products. Behind the milestone event of DHL and SAIC Maxus signing the "largest order", a larger industrial landscape is slowly unfolding. Chinese automobile companies represented by SAIC Maxus are changing the global green competition landscape with Chinese new energy technologies.
After the EV30 is delivered to Europe, the electrification ratio of DHL's last-mile delivery fleet in Germany will exceed 50%. By 2030, the logistics giant plans to increase the electrification ratio of its first- and last-mile delivery vehicles worldwide to two-thirds.
Moreover, in the European market, SAIC Maxus has entered 27 countries and has a market share of more than 50% in the new energy market in many countries. In the first quarter of this year, pure electric light buses such as EV30 and EV90 ranked first in the market share in Norway, Spain, Italy and other countries, and also ranked first in the UK and Northern Europe.
Behind this market performance is the strategic transformation of Chinese automakers from "participation" to "leading". While traditional giants such as Mercedes-Benz and Ford are still dealing with the challenges of electrification, SAIC Maxus is gradually rewriting the "rules of the game" with its forward-developed exclusive electric platform and localized deep adaptation capabilities.
In terms of green influence, for example, the EV30s that DHL is about to put into use will directly help DHL achieve its goal of electrifying its global fleet by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Compared with fossil energy, electricity can be generated in a clean energy way, which further reduces the impact on the environment and brings significant environmental benefits.
The more far-reaching impact lies in the field of industrial standards. SAIC Maxus has been nominated and awarded the "Light Commercial Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year" in the UK and Ireland for three consecutive years, ending the long-term monopoly of European, American and Japanese automakers in this field. Its technical patents such as aluminum body frames have been authorized in the European Union, indicating that Chinese technical standards are gradually being incorporated into the global logistics emission reduction guidance system.
As fuel trucks of traditional international auto giants are gradually replaced by Chinese-made electric logistics vehicles on European streets, and as Chinese technical standards are incorporated into the United Nations logistics emissions reduction guidelines, the balance of the global automotive industry is gradually tilting towards the more advanced side.
Behind SAIC Maxus's firm and powerful globalization and cumulative exports of over 400,000 vehicles, not only has China's new energy vehicle companies achieved the leap from "product export" to "technology export", but it has also contributed China's strength to the green transformation of the global automotive industry, marking the beginning of a green logistics revolution driven by China's new energy technology.
