Currently, 50 UPS hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) operate in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix. The 25 trucks deployed here are part of 200 new HEVs deployed recently to eight US cities.
They join the roughly 20,000 low-emission and alternative-fuel vehicles already in use by UPS. The 200 new trucks will operate in Austin, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Long Island, Minneapolis and Louisville.
The 200 new HEV package cars are expected to reduce fuel consumption by roughly 176,000 gallons over the course of a year compared to an equivalent number of traditional diesel trucks. The hybrids also should reduce by 1,786 metric tonnes the amount of CO2 gases released annually into the atmosphere, according to the company.
UPS said that its alternative fuel fleet utilizes multiple technologies, including compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, electricity and hydraulic hybrid technology.
UPS claims that it has developed a network that can leverage all modes of transportation from rail to truck to aircraft, optimizing package routes and improving fuel efficiency.
The company said that the new hybrid power system utilizes a conventional diesel engine combined with a battery pack, saving fuel and reducing pollution-causing emissions. The small diesel is used to recharge the battery pack and to add power when necessary.
In addition, HEVs use regenerative braking. The energy generated from applying the brakes is captured and returned to the battery as electricity. The combination of clean diesel power and electric power, supplemented by regenerative braking, allows dramatic improvements in fuel savings and emissions reductions.
The HEVs use a Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation body and a hybrid power system from Eaton Corporation. The external truck bodies are identical to UPS’s other signature brown trucks, although they feature additional labeling identifying them as hybrid electrics.
The trucks use lithium ion batteries, which offer a faster re-charging capability and last longer than previous generation HEV batteries. Additionally, these vehicles are much quieter than conventional UPS trucks, the company said.
