Parcel service FedEx is pushing USPS, UPS and other competitors in terms of hybrid profiles by increasing its green vehicle fleet. FedEx recently announced 92 of its delivery trucks were converted from diesel to hybrid-electric power with help from Freightliner and Eaton Corporation. The company tabbed trucks from the 2000 and 2001 model years with 300,000 to 500,000 miles for the conversion process. In addition to the company’s long-term sustainability goals, the use of older trucks will decrease overhead by eliminating the need to buy new trucks.
FedEx completed the conversion of its hybrid-electric trucks over six months in its North Carolina facility. The standard FedEx delivery truck uses a 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine capable of producing 175 horsepower. Each hybrid-electric truck is powered by a 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engine, an Eaton hybrid drive system and a lithium-ion battery. By completing this hybrid-electric conversion project, FedEx’s hybrid fleet increased from 172 to 264 in the United States. FedEx plans to use its newly converted trucks in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.
FedEx notes that the new configuration increases power output to 200 horsepower while meeting goals for emissions reductions and increased fuel economy. The 44% fuel savings offered by each converted FedEx truck helps the company cut fuel costs and keep trucks on the road instead of at the fuel pump. FedEx claims that the newly installed hybrid systems reduce particulates by 96% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 75% compared to traditional trucks.
The hybrid vehicle profile created by FedEx in the past five years is impressive in the corporate world. The company’s hybrid delivery trucks logged four million miles from 2004 through mid-2009, saving the company 150,000 gallons of diesel in the process. FedEx is working to decrease the environmental impact of its delivery fleet with smaller delivery vehicles and improved route management. London’s FedEx office is using multiple green delivery methods including LPG vans and bike couriers to meet delivery quotas. The company’s warehouse staff is getting involved by using all-electric forklifts and short-range vehicles to fill trucks for daily routes. FedEx is developing an eco-friendly fleet the right way by using cost-effective conversions, alternative delivery methods and sustainable fuel sources instead of relying on a single solution.
