DHL goes electric

DHL Express announced Tuesday that it’s purchasing 12 electric cargo planes from start-up Eviation for use in U.S. package delivery as part of a plan to reduce carbon emissions.

“We’re going to spread them out in between the West Coast and the East Coast. These Eviation electric planes will replace some of our current smaller feeder aircraft that we have in those markets,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Americas. “This lines up with our commitment to sustainability and the spirit of where we’re heading to a net zero emissions by 2050.”

Eviation is focused on electric fixed-wing airplanes for cargo and passengers. The Washington state-based company is building the Alice, a plane capable of carrying 2,500 pounds at a maximum speed of 250 mph and go 500 miles on a single charge. Charging time takes around 30 minutes, roughly the same time it takes to put fuel into a similar-sized traditional airplane