United Parcel Service has expanded its fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles with the deployment of 50hybrid electric delivery trucks which will operate in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix.
The vehicles run on a new hybrid power system designed by Eaton Corp. that allows them to usea smaller diesel engine than in conventional trucks, saving on fuel consumption. The new trucks –part of a current $15 million alternative fuel fleet programme – join over 19,000 otherlow-emission vehicles the company operates in its “green” fleet.
“We’re excited to be among the first to deploy the latest in hybrid electric vehicletechnology because it promises a 45% increase in fuel economy in addition to a dramatic decrease invehicle emissions,” said Robert Hall, director of UPS ground fleet engineering.
“Our long-term goal is to minimise dependence on fossil fuels and we will get there bydeploying a wide variety of new automotive technologies in our fleet,” Hall said.
The 50 new vehicles are expected to reduce fuel consumption by roughly 44,000 gallons overthe course of a year compared to an equivalent number of traditional diesel trucks. The hybridsalso should reduce by 457 metric tons the amount of CO2 gases released annually into theatmosphere, UPS said.
UPS has agreed to work with the US Energy Department over the course of this year to sharethe vehicles’ fuel economy, emissions and other performance data.
The UPS alternative fuel fleet currently includes trucks powered by compressed natural gas,liquefied natural gas, propane and electricity. The carrier has also been testing hydrogen fuelcell vehicles and hydraulic hybrid technology in partnership with the US Environmental ProtectionAgency.
