DHL behind the Scenes: Mexico City on the way to a sustainable future

The Formula E premiere in Mexico City was a great success. It was a fantastic event with a unique atmosphere in the vibrant setting of Mexico City. The metropolis is one of the largest in the world with nearly nine million inhabitants in the urban area alone and a total population of 22 million across Greater Mexico City. Growth also brings progress, and Mexico City is striving to evolve into one of the most sustainable cities on the planet over the coming years.

DHL are also showing a strong commitment to this endeavor. The logistics company and founding partner of Formula E introduced their GoGreen project in the run-up to the Mexico ePrix. As part of this initiative, DHL aims to achieve a 30 percent reduction in their CO2 emissions in Mexico by 2020. „We have the responsibility to create a better environment,“ said DHL Business Development Vice President José Antonio Garcia Trejo. „Formula E is driving the future of environmentally sustainable vehicles forwards. We want to learn from the Championship and thereby also reduce our carbon footprint even further.“

One of the most damaging environmental factors in Mexico is transport, which is responsible for 23 percent of the country’s total emissions. „We support Formula E with logistics around the world, so we think it is also important for us to develop new sustainable vehicles,“ added Garcia Trejo.

The first prototype vehicles specifically designed to reduce DHL’s emissions, are already up and running. For example, the DP DHL StreetScooter, a pilot project which was developed at the DHL Innovation Center, is already being used in Bonn, Germany. Throughout 2016, the number of electric vehicles in use worldwide will be increased to 141 saving DHL more than 500 tons of C02 per year.

Introducing alternative delivery vehicles to the huge metropolis of New York has been another of DHL’s key projects. Since 2011, DHL Express has operated 30 battery-powered electric vans and 50 hybrid drive trucks in Manhattan, reducing CO2 emissions by over 50 percent annually, compared to conventional vehicles - innovations that could be used in Mexico in the near future.

Mexico City has several other projects in the pipeline. The world’s most sustainable airport will be opened in 2020. The new hub will manage its own energy and water needs independently and could grow to become the largest airport in the Americas. The transportation of 50 million passengers per year is planned initially. However, capacity could possibly be increased to up to 120 million people per annum in the future - all within the context of sustainability.

„Every improvement made has a great impact,“ said DHL’s Head of Global Commercial Developments and Sustainability, Manoëlla Wilbaut enthusiastically about plans in Mexico. „You have to take steps to make a difference,“ she said. And so, with the Formula E eStory, she has also established a business program which connects leading companies, thereby facilitating market adoption of sustainable mobility solutions from a position of strength. All with the intention of making, „Sustainability simple, cool and sexy.“