UPS UK has ordered 14 purpose-built, electric vehicles from British manufacturer Modec, morethan tripling the size of its green fleet to 20 vehicles in the country.
The vehicles will operate out of the company’s facilities in Camden and Barking located withinLondon’s Low Emission Zone. They will join UPS’s existing fleet of Modec vehicles which have beenoperating out of the Camden facility since 2009.
The all-electric vehicles will form a key part of the UPS fleet that will serve many of the hostvenues before, during and after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, UPS said in astatement.
Cindy Miller, Managing Director UPS UK, Ireland & Nordics, said: “This is an important stepin our continued commitment to making our UK operations more sustainable. Over the past few years,we have invested in technological improvements allowing us to expand our electric fleet, such asinstalling extra charging units at our London facilities. With the London 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games only eighteen months away, we are very focused on reducing the carbon footprint ofour delivery network in the capital.”
Developed by Modec, the electric vehicle is one of the first of its kind to effectively harnessthe power of modern, high energy batteries in order to meet the medium range, high performancerequirements of hard working, urban delivery vehicles. Each vehicle can undertake around 60 mileson a 6 hour charge. As an electric vehicle, the Modec is exempt from road tax, is not liable forthe congestion charge, nor does it require MOT or tachograph.
Roger Atkins, Sales Director, Modec, said: “We have been working very closely for a number ofyears with the UPS team to ensure that Modec electric vehicles are an excellent commercialproposition, and that they can be seen on the streets in increasing numbers. As well as the globalbenefits of reduced emissions, improvement in local air quality is also vital – especially inLondon.”
UPS operates one of the largest private alternative-fuel fleets in the package delivery industrywith 1,949 in total.
