DHL Freight використовує SuperPanther eTopas 600 у щоденній діяльності
DHL Freight has moved the first SuperPanther eTopas 600 produced in Europe out of testing and into regular commercial operation. The battery-electric heavy-duty truck has been operating out of the Netherlands and traveling to Belgium since September, covering approx. 2,000 km per week.
During the handover of the eTopas 600 with representatives from DHL Freight.
Image: DHLGroup
Since September, DHL Freight has been regularly deploying a SuperPanther eTopas 600 in its Dutch network. The battery-electric heavy-duty truck handles both national transport and cross-border traffic to Belgium, and it is not restricted to a fixed shuttle route.
For this deployment, DHL cites a range of up to 500 km per battery charge, although the vehicle’s technical specifications indicate up to 560 kilometres. The eTopas 600 features a 621 kWh LFP battery from CATL, a continuous power output of 394 kW, and up to 692 kW at peak. Charging is done via two CCS2 connectors with a combined maximum of 660 kW. Under suitable conditions, the battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in a maximum of 38 minutes.
The regular operation was preceded by a two-week practical test in Austria. During this period, the eTopas 600 covered around 1,900 km, averaging 238 km per day. DHL reports an electricity consumption of 102 kWh per 100 km. Compared to the reference scenario used in the test, around 930 kg of CO₂ equivalents were saved.
The collaboration between DHL Freight and SuperPanther has been ongoing since 2024. In July 2026, the first eTopas 600 produced in Europe for DHL rolled off the production line, and since September, the vehicle has been in regular network operation.
From practical testing to routine operations
DHL primarily aims to investigate how flexibly battery-electric heavy-duty trucks can be integrated into existing transport networks and cross-border routes. The data collected in daily operations will also be shared with SuperPanther to support the development of future vehicle generations.
SuperPanther is currently expanding its presence in Europe. Since summer, the eTopas 600 has been manufactured via SKD assembly at Steyr Automotive in Austria. In early October, it was announced that Austrian logistics provider Gartner had ordered 20 units – the largest single order for the brand in Europe to date. SuperPanther aims to have 1,000 vehicles in Europe by the end of 2027.
DHL Freight itself also plans to further expand its use of electric commercial vehicles. According to Heidi van Eldik, CEO of DHL Freight Netherlands & Belgium, around 40 additional EVs are to be added in the coming months alone.
DHL is also driving electrification forward through partner programmes. For example, logistics company Pflaum is using 20 electric trucks from the Scania-Sennder joint venture Juna for DHL transport operations. Juna now operates around 110 electric trucks across several European countries.
DHL Freight states that it uses a total of around 1,700 low-emission vehicles. In addition to battery-electric trucks, the company is also testing other drivetrains. The collaboration with SuperPanther extends beyond the eTopas 600: at the IAA Transportation, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on autonomous driving.