UPS has launched tests in Cologne city centre of a new 7.5 tonne electric vehicle that has been re-engineered from diesel power.
The next-generation UPS delivery truck is a converted diesel vehicle that incorporates an innovative dual-motor rear axle drive developed by test partner BPW and which is now making deliveries in central Cologne.
“The BPW-converted electric vehicle is breaking new ground in automotive technology and demonstrates the strength of innovation to be found among the German Mittelstand (SMEs),” said Frank Sportolari, president of UPS Germany.
“Of course, we are excited to see how the drive proves itself in daily operations. Our goal as a company is to have 25% of our new vehicle purchases running on alternative fuels or advanced technologies by 2020. This is part of the continuous transformation of UPS’s smart global logistics network – and it’s a tangible, visible transformation that can be seen daily on the roads of the communities we serve.”
The test vehicle currently on the streets of Cologne is a conventional 7.5 tonne UPS delivery truck that has been converted to run on electricity with a dual-motor rear axle, and has an approximately range of 100 km. The refit was carried out by BPW, based in Wiehl.
Two motors and the transmission are integrated into the rear axle. Power is provided by an 84 kwh battery. The combination of independent drives on each rear wheel and the power of the motors increases the manoeuverability of the delivery truck. For example, on slippery roads, each wheel receives the optimum torque for the acceleration force required.
“The electric axle drive is the superior solution for the future of urban transport. Without losing any payload, it drastically reduces pollution and noise compared to a conventional internal combustion engine. With a powerful 3,290 Newton meters per wheel, our e-transport drive technology has nearly ten times the torque of an average four-cylinder car engine, which means it can handle high payloads and the steep inclines typical of urban operations,” said Markus Schell, BPW managing partner. “We are very pleased that UPS, one of the world’s largest courier, express and parcel logistics companies, is testing our drive system for the first time.”
UPS has been using electric vehicles for parcel delivery in Germany since 2008. As there are no purely electric 7.5-tonne vehicles currently available on the market, UPS began converting conventional diesel vehicles in 2010. Currently, more than 80 fully-electric vehicles are in use in Germany, primarily 7.5-tonne class vehicles. To support its emissions reduction objectives, UPS has set a goal of sourcing 40% of its ground fuel from low carbon or alternative fuels by 2025. In addition, 25% of new vehicle purchases annually by 2020 will be alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles.
“The collaboration between UPS and BPW is helping drive innovation across the automotive industry, providing sustainable modes of transportation that act as an incubator for change,” said Luke Wake, automotive director, UPS International. “UPS has a global network that can integrate ground-breaking vehicle component suppliers and manufacturers, which moves the automotive market forward faster, delivering sustainable, low-emission solutions that work today and can scale up tomorrow.”
Using its “rolling laboratory” approach, UPS deploys approximately 10,000 low-emission vehicles worldwide to determine what alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles work best in various routes and duty cycles. This includes all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane.
