DHL expands electric trucks to subcontractors with JUNA and Pflaum deal

DHL is extending electric-truck adoption beyond its own fleet and into its subcontracted carriers through a new Partner Store arrangement with JUNA. The first deal covers 20 electric trucks for Bavarian carrier Pflaum over five years, a model DHL and JUNA say could scale across the wider freight network.

Why it matters: - DHL is pushing freight decarbonization beyond company-owned vehicles and into the carrier network that moves much of its freight. - The Pflaum deal gives subcontracted carriers a lower-risk way to adopt electric trucks without buying them outright. - The model is designed to cut CO2e emissions while keeping carrier operations and costs closer to current diesel-based economics. - JUNA gains another anchor customer for its fleet-as-a-service model and its effort to build one of Europe’s largest electric truck fleets.

What happened: - DHL is using its Partner Store program to give subcontracted carriers pre-negotiated access to electric trucks from JUNA. - The first agreement under the setup is a five-year deal for 20 electric trucks with Pflaum, a Bavarian subcontractor. - The announcement was made in Berlin on Sept. 15, 2026. - Pflaum will use the trucks on behalf of DHL.

The details: - JUNA provides route and usage analysis, technical expertise and a flexible as-a-service model. - Under that model, the carrier pays only for the truck it actually uses. - JUNA says the structure keeps total cost of ownership on par with diesel. - DHL says the Partner Store helps network partners accelerate their sustainability transition while benefiting from DHL’s scale and expertise. - DHL Freight VP Transport Procurement Stefan Kasprowiak said DHL has committed to net-zero logistics-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. - Kasprowiak said DHL is decarbonizing its own fleet and also supporting logistics partners in shifting to low-emission vehicles. - Pflaum CEO Matthias Schellenberger said the JUNA setup lets the company run electric trucks for DHL at comparable cost without taking on investment or resale risk. - JUNA COO Johan Kjellner said the agreement links DHL, Pflaum and JUNA for five years.

Between the lines: - The deal is meant to show that fleet electrification can work even when the truck operator is not the asset owner. - DHL and JUNA are treating subcontractors as the next major lever for emissions cuts, not just their own fleets. - The structure reduces upfront capital barriers, which may matter more for smaller carriers than for large shippers. - Pflaum becomes a proof point because it is combining owned electric trucks with JUNA-provided electric trucks inside the same carrier. - The arrangement could become a template for other DHL subcontractors that want a mix of ownership and flexible, risk-shared access.

What's next: - Pflaum’s electric fleet is expected to reach 65 vehicles by the end of 2026, combining 45 self-owned trucks and 20 trucks from JUNA. - DHL and JUNA want to extend the model across DHL’s broader subcontracted carrier network. - Pflaum has said it aims for 75% of its fleet to run on alternative fuels or drivetrains by 2030. - JUNA and DHL are positioning the partnership as part of a longer rollout of electric freight across Europe.

The bottom line: - DHL is trying to make electric freight easier to adopt by removing the ownership hurdle for subcontracted carriers.