UPS has purchased 125 new technology hybrid electric delivery trucks in the US and is testing its first ‘range-extended’ electric delivery vehicle in the UK that can cover longer distances than a conventional electric vehicle.
The 125 new hybrids, to be deployed in Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida in the first half of 2016, will deliver significant fuel economy equivalency gains – up to four times the fuel economy of a gasoline powered vehicle, compared to a 10 to 15% improvement with previous hybrid designs.
The trucks were purchased under UPS’s commitment to utilize advanced technologies to reduce the environmental impact of its fleet. While the new electric vehicles will cost UPS slightly more than a similar truck with a conventional engine, the company’s sustainability commitment influenced the purchase decision. The vehicles are being manufactured by Workhorse Group, Inc., a Cincinnati-based company which manufactures electric drive systems for commercial trucks and can equip them with electric engines.
“These vehicles are a bridge to the delivery trucks of tomorrow,” said Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president global engineering and sustainability. “This investment will help create and grow the market for ground-breaking alternative propulsion systems that reduce environmental impact, reduce operating costs and save fuel.”
UPS, with its suppliers, continues to work toward development of the next generation, zero emission trucks. The company is collaborating with Workhorse to develop a more intelligent electric vehicle to determine when and where the batteries will be charged and re-charged. The initiative is part of UPS’s Rolling Laboratory, a cutting-edge approach to optimizing the use of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.
“These trucks are designed specifically to meet the stop and start needs of UPS’s urban delivery routes,” said Steve Burns, CEO of Workhorse Group Inc. “They rely on a very small internal combustion engine and lithium ion battery to deliver a 50 to 60-mile per day range. We are thrilled to work with UPS to develop and deliver innovative solutions to today’s transportation challenges.”
Meanwhile, in the UK, UPS said that its first ‘range-extended’ electric delivery vehicle, developed in collaboration with TEVVA Motors, has the ability to cover longer distances than a conventional electric vehicle.
Since June 2014, UPS has worked with TEVVA Motors to develop a prototype for the range-extended vehicle, as part of its growing investment in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. A small, highly efficient diesel engine acts as a generator to recharge the batteries if they get depleted out on the road. This significantly increases the range of the vehicle, potentially by several hundred kilometres, on top of its normal range of 75km to 100 km without range extension.
Geo-fencing technology installed in this vehicle allows it to operate in a purely electric capacity in urban areas to reduce the impact on air quality. Should additional power to the batteries be needed, telemetry technology ensures that the range-extending diesel motor operates where the impact on air quality will be minimal, such as on the motorway.
The prototype will first be deployed in Barking, East London. It will operate in a suburban environment, for 12 months initially, covering about 100km to 150km per day to assess the potential for the vehicle to be used more widely in UPS operations.
“With around 5,800 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles worldwide, sustainability is more than a practice at UPS, it’s a value. This vehicle highlights our commitment to integrating new technologies into our delivery fleet,” Peter Harris, sustainability director, UPS Europe, said. “Finding the best, most responsible fleet solutions to suit our business and serve our customers is an important part of our sustainability strategy.”
