DHL begins trial runs of Cleveron’s autonomous delivery vehicle

DHL Express has begun testing an autonomous delivery vehicle built by Estonian company Cleveron. The trials will take place in Tallin, Estonia, and use the Clevon 1 electric delivery robot, which has a 100 km range.

This is the second strategic cooperation where DHL, one of the world’s leading logistics companies, will pilot Cleveron Mobility’s unmanned robot couriers to test their use in last-mile delivery operations.

Clevon 1 will be liveried in DHL’s branding and was due to start delivering parcels by the end of July.

Kütt says: “We are seeing that the automation of parcel delivery is gaining momentum in Europe and other countries with a high share of e-commerce.

“For us, the cooperation with DHL is significant, as it provides an opportunity to introduce our environmentally friendly last-mile technology to more people and measure its efficiency with the largest logistics company in the region.”

Kristina Laaneots, CEO of DHL Express Estonia, says: “During this pilot project, DHL Express will be able to test the electrification of last-mile delivery, which is one of the main pillars of DHL’s recently announced sustainability action plan.”

Kütt noted that negotiations for other similar projects are ongoing and hopes that soon he will be able to share more news in this area. Cleveron Mobility predicts that several international pilot projects will be launched by the end of 2022.

Cleveron Mobility says its robotic couriers are street legal and 100 percent electric. They can cover up to 100 kilometers on a single charge, making them “perfect for urban parcel transport” while reducing emissions and noise pollution.