FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., has announced plans to add up to 75 hybrid diesel electric trucks to its service fleet in the next 12 months, contingent upon pricing and availability.
The announcement coincided with the unveiling of two FedEx hybrid trucks in Washington, D.C. on April 21st, bringing the company-wide total of hybrid trucks in use to 18.
The FedEx Express E700 hybrid electric vehicle decreases particulate emissions by 96 percent and travels 57 percent farther on a gallon of fuel than a conventional FedEx truck, reducing fuel costs by more than one third. The Washington D.C. rollout was a joint initiative with Environmental Defense and Eaton Corporation.
The project began four years ago when Environmental Defense, a nonprofit organization recognized for its work with industry leaders to create environmental and business innovations, started working with FedEx to create the next generation delivery vehicle. Cleveland, Ohio-based Eaton Corporation produced the hybrid electric powertrain for the vehicle. Other suppliers involved in the project include Freightliner Custom Chassis, Utilimaster, Hitachi and Detroit Diesel.
FedEx currently has hybrid trucks in service in Sacramento, New York,
Tampa and, now, Washington, D.C. According to a company statement, the vehicles are performing exceptionally well. They have experienced up-time ranging from 96 to 99 percent, which is impressive for any new vehicle considering the average up-time for the rest of the fleet is 99.6 percent.
Furthermore, the hybrid trucks are meeting environmental goals based on recent lab testing at the Southwest Research Institute. This lab found a particulate matter reduction of 96 percent and a NOx reduction of 65 percent compared to the 1999 baseline vehicle. New trucks are expected to be placed in Texas and New York City.
For more information, visit www.fedex.com., www.environmentaldefense.org. and www.eaton.com.