DHL Express (Taiwan) Corp. is cooperating with Gaius Automotive Inc. by including Gaius’ electric three-wheeled commercial vehicle Rapide 3 in DHL’s delivery fleet in Taiwan. The vehicle will be first used in Kaohsiung and is expected be DHL’s powerful tool in achieving its net-zero logistics goals.

Based on greenhouse gas emissions data in 2020 published by the Kaohsiung City Government, the transportation sector accounted for 7.6% of the total emissions, making it the third largest source of emissions after industry and residential businesses. Shujuan Chang, Director of the Kaohsiung City Transportation Bureau, explained, “In addition to promoting rail transportation, Kaohsiung City Government has also promoted subsidies for electric vehicles as well as taking lead in many other policies and plans. Examples include delineating low-carbon traffic zones, matching public transportation road networks, establishing electric vehicle charging stations, and promoting car sharing. It is great to see that multinational companies such as DHL are the first to use high-efficiency electric tricycles in Kaohsiung, which has become the best example of enterprises leading sustainable actions.”

As a leading brand in the global logistics industry, DHL Group has set a clear sustainable development plan since 2017, committing to achieve the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Mike Lu, Vice President of Operation of DHL Taiwan, said, “Promoting sustainable development is always DHL’s commitment. As a leading brand in the logistics industry, we have the responsibility to take the lead in providing sustainable solutions and to inspire other industry players to follow. In Taiwan, we continue to promote green transportation, equipment optimization and various sustainable solutions. We are very happy to partner with Gaius to have their new electric commercial tricycles as part of our fleet and to accelerate the goal of 100% green last-mile fleet.”

Gaius’ Rapide 3, a newly designed, 100% electric commercial tricycle, has high load capacity and is easy to maneuver. Rapide 3 is capable of carrying a maximum payload of 200 kg, and the rear cargo box capacity is as high as 1,000L, which is around 3 to 4 times of that of a traditional pizza box. The high payload capacity increases substantially the single-trip delivery volume. An important feature of the Rapide 3 is its patented tilting mechanism, which enables the vehicle to tilt sideway 35 degrees, providing motorcycle-like agility while ensuring stability and safety even at maximum payload. 

Rapide 3 has a turning circle radius of only 2.5m, making it especially agile on busy city streets. A large, 14.5kWh battery pack allows off-peak charging at night with uninterrupted daily operations, and eliminates the need for battery swapping and related subscription fees.

Gaius has been working closely with international postal and logistics customers long before the launch of the Rapide 3, whose design is tailored specifically to fulfill the needs of the logistics industry. Gaius won the French Tech Award in 2015, and was shortlisted for the 2022 “Parcel and Post International Technology Award”. Deliveries of the Rapide 3 will begin early 2023 to logistics and postal customers, both Taiwan domestic and global.