Toyota, Kenworth, POLA and CARB unveil next-gen heavy-duty fuel-cell truck; ZANZEFF

Toyota, Kenworth, the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) unveiled the first of Toyota and Kenworth’s jointly developed fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks during a special event held at the Port of Los Angeles.

The new generation zero-emission truck expands on the capabilities of Toyota’s first two Project Portal Proof-of-Concept trucks through enhanced capability, packaging, and performance while offering an estimated range of more than 300 miles per fill, twice that of a typical drayage trucks average daily duty cycle.

Toyota and Kenworth will deploy a total of 10 trucks as part of the Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF) (earlier post), hauling cargo received at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, throughout the LA Basin.

Toyota is committed to fuel cell electric technology as a powertrain for the future because it’s a clean, scalable platform that can meet a broad range of mobility needs with zero emissions. The ZANZEFF collaboration and the innovative ‘Shore-to Store’ project allow us to move Heavy-Duty Truck Fuel Cell Electric technology towards commercialization.

—Bob Carter, Executive Vice President for Automotive Operations Toyota

CARB has awarded $41 million dollars to the Port of Los Angeles for the ZANZEFF project as part of California Climate Investments, a California initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment―particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Since operations began in April 2017, the Project Portal “Alpha” and “Beta” Proof of Concept Class 8 trucks have logged more than 14,000 miles of testing and real-world drayage operations in and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach while emitting nothing but water vapor.

The first Kenworth/Toyota Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) under the ZANZEFF project will begin drayage operations in the fourth quarter, increasing the ports’ zero emission trucking capacity and further reducing the environmental impact of drayage operations.

The latest Fuel Cell Electric truck utilizes the Kenworth T680 Class 8 model combined with Toyota’s fuel cell electric technology and is part of the ZANZEFF project. Pioneered by the Port of Los Angeles with leading support from Toyota, Kenworth, and Shell, the endeavor provides a large-scale “Shore-to-Store” plan and a hydrogen fuel-cell-electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement. The initiative will help reduce emissions by more than 500 tons of Greenhouse Gas and 0.72 weighted tons of nox, ROG and PM10.

The collaboration between the Port of Los Angeles, Kenworth, Toyota and Shell is providing an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell electric technology in both drayage service and regional haul commercial vehicle applications operating in Southern California. The performance of the 10 Kenworth Class 8 trucks being developed under this program―the first of which debuted today―is targeted to meet or exceed that of a diesel-powered truck, while producing water as the only emissions byproduct.

&mdashMike Dozier, general manager of Kenworth Truck Company and PACCAR vice president

The Port of Los Angeles, a global maritime leader with respect to zero-emission and near-zero emission technology testing and adoption, will develop the project in several phases, ultimately encompassing initiatives in Southern California, the Central Coast Area, and Merced County. The initial phase is designed to kick-start the leap to a new class of goods movement vehicles, while reducing emissions in designated disadvantaged communities.

The project phases will include:

• Ten new zero-emissions fuel-cell-electric Kenworth/Toyota FCET developed through a collaboration between Kenworth and Toyota to move cargo from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports throughout the Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, the Port of Hueneme, and eventually to Merced. The trucks will be operated by Toyota Logistics Services (4), United Parcel Services (3), Total Transportation Services Inc. (2), and Southern Counties Express (1).
• Two new large capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations will be developed by Shell in Wilmington and Ontario, California. The two new stations will join three additional stations located at Toyota’s Long Beach Logistics Services and Gardena R&D facilities to form an integrated, five-station heavy-duty hydrogen fueling network for the Los Angeles basin. Together, these stations will provide multiple sources of hydrogen throughout the region, including over 1 ton of 100% renewable hydrogen per day at the Toyota Logistics Services station to be operated by Shell, and important research and development advances at a pair of stations operated by Air Liquide, all enabling zero-emissions freight transport.
• Expanded use of zero-emissions technology in cargo terminal and warehouse environments, including the first two zero-emissions yard tractors to be operated at the Port of Hueneme, as well as the expanded use of zero-emissions forklifts at Toyota’s port warehouse.

More than 16,000 trucks serve the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complexes—North America’s largest trade gateway for containerized cargo. That number that is estimated to grow to 32,000 by 2030. Currently, more than 43,000 drayage trucks are in operation at ports across the United States.

This announcement is an extension of Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 efforts to eliminate CO2 emissions from its operations. Toyota has previously announced the construction of the Tri-Gen facility which will be the first megawatt-sized carbonate fuel cell power generation plant with hydrogen fueling in the world. The 100% renewable plant will use agricultural waste to generate water, electricity, and hydrogen that will support Toyota Logistics Services’ (TLS) operations at the Port of Long Beach.

UPS PRE-ORDERS 125 TESLA SEMI ELECTRIC TRUCKS

UPS owns a lot of trucks. According to Quora, as of 2015, it had “104,926 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles.” Of that total, 7,200 were “alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.” It also has about 25,000 trucks dedicated to its supply chain delivery operations.

The company is always looking for ways to lower its costs of operation. It uses sophisticated route planning software so each vehicle drives the least number of miles on each route. It even goes so far as to avoid left turns against oncoming traffic whenever possible. Waiting for an opening takes precious seconds, and time is money.

UPS announced today that it has placed the largest pre-order yet for Tesla Semi electric trucks — 125. Until this latest announcement, PepsiCo had pre-ordered the most Tesla Semi trucks at 100 units. The Tesla trucks are expected to sell for $200,000 each, which is about $75,000 more than the company pays for a typical diesel powered tractor. But it expects significantly lower fuel and maintenance costs will more than offset the price difference over the useful life of the trucks.

Scott Phillippi, senior director for automotive maintenance and engineering for international operations at UPS, tells Reuters that his company has already provided real-world data to Tesla on how its trucks perform on normal streets. “As with any introductory technology for our fleet, we want to make sure it’s in a position to succeed,” he says.

The 125 Tesla trucks will be used primarily in the United States. Although, the precise routes they will follow has not yet been determined. Tesla will provide consultation and support on charging infrastructure. “We have high expectations and are very optimistic that this will be a good product and it will have firm support from Tesla to make it work,” Phillippi said.

Reuters claims Tesla has received 410 pre-orders for the Semi, which is not slated for production until 2019 at the earliest. Tesla has not yet said where it will manufacture the Class 8 electric tractor.

410 orders at an average price of $200,000 would total $82 million in revenue for Tesla. Here, again, is a hypothetical look at Tesla revenue and profits based on various estimates and hypotheticals. 

Orders	Average Price	Total Revenue	Profits based on 7% Gross Margin	Profits based on 10% Gross Margin	Profits based on 15% Gross Margin
410	170,000	$69,700,000	$4,879,000	$6,970,000	$10,455,000
410	200,000	$82,000,000	$5,740,000	$8,200,000	$12,300,000
8200 (hypothetical)	170,000	$1,394,000,000	$97,580,000	$139,400,000	$209,100,000
8200 (hypothetical)	200,000	$1,640,000,000	$114,800,000	$164,000,000	$246,000,000

New York Helping UPS Convert Its Delivery Fleet To Electric Trucks

With help from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, UPS is planning to convert many of its diesel powered delivery vans (UPS calls them “package cars”) into battery electric trucks beginning as soon as next spring. UPS currently has more than 2,200 trucks plying the streets of New York City. It expects 1,500 of them be electric by 2022.

The program is part of the governor’s program to reduce greenhouse gases within New York by 40% by the year 2030. Alicia Barton, president and CEO of NYSERDA said in a press release, “This project is a prime example of the State’s investment in new and innovative technology that can help us meet Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading clean energy goals. I applaud UPS and Unique Electric Solutions for their leadership in developing this system that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and has tremendous potential to be used by the entire delivery industry.”

“Public-private partnerships help push innovation forward and transform industries,” said Carlton Rose, president of global fleet maintenance and engineering for UPS. “This program will help UPS develop and deploy electric delivery trucks faster and more affordably. Because they are cleaner and quieter, electric vehicles are ideal for dense urban environments like New York City and are a critical part of our strategy for the future.”

NYSERDA will provide $500,000 in funding. The money will be used to pay for the development of an electric drivetrain provided by Unique Electric Solutions and to begin the conversion process. At the heart of the  drivetrain is a 225 kW switched reluctance motor (SRM) with a high voltage back bone optimized for the duty cycle of UPS delivery trucks. It says its motors are simpler, cheaper and better suited to use in electric vehicles than conventional induction motors. In addition, they do not use the rare earth elements found in permanent magnet motors. The company claims is propulsion system provides more miles per battery charge, reduced charging times, and up to 20% greater efficiency.

Efficiency plays a vital role in making UPS profitable. So does being a good corporate citizen. The company has more than 8,500 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles in its fleet worldwide, including 770 electric or hybrid electric vehicles that are used primarily in urban settings.  The company says by the year 2020, a quarter of all the new vehicles it purchases every year will use alternative fuels or advanced propulsion technology. It has invested more than $750 million in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles — including fueling stations for alternative fuels — since 2009.

Workhorse W-15 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Pickup Truck Interview With CEO Steve Burns

When the Workhorse W-15 plug-in hybrid electric truck was unveiled to the public at the ACT Expo in Long Beach, the folks from Inside EVs had an opportunity to sit down with Workhorse CEO Steve Burns for an extended interview. The specs for the W-15 are now known — 60 kWh battery, 80 mile range, 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, stainless steel chassis, on board range extender engine supplied by BMW. What isn’t so well know is how Workhorse began and how it got to where it is today.

Conversions Don’t Work

Burns started out with a company called AMP that converted conventional vehicles like the Chevy Equinox to electric power. “It’s very expensive to be an OEM. So people say, ‘I’ll take something that’s close and I’ll convert it.’ But what happens when the frame cracks in 10 years and you converted a Ford, let’s say, and Ford’s going to say, ‘Well it cracked because you put this heavy battery pack on it. That’s not our fault,’ right?” Burns asks.

Workhorse is concentrating on fleet sales for one simple reason. Individual buyers don’t look at the total cost of ownership. Fleet managers look at nothing else. “What we discovered with our UPS trucks is that you can prove to a fleet manager that your vehicle is less expensive than a gasoline or diesel counterpart. We could save UPS or a company like UPS about $160,000 per truck over a lifetime. Without any government vouchers, it still makes economic sense.”

Concentrating On Fleets Generates Pre-orders

Workhorse says it has 1,000 pre-orders from various utility and delivery fleet operators like UPS and Duke Energy. That resonates with lenders when a manufacturer with good ideas but no track record goes looking for financing. “Investors or strategic partners or the government — all those sources of capital want to know the same thing: ‘Do you have a customer base that will buy these if you build them?’ That’s the hardest thing to prove and that’s what pre-orders do.

Working With Detroit Is Part Of The Plan

“One thing that might be a little different with us than Silicon Valley folks is that we’re in the Midwest and as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, we’re a new kind of car company, we don’t want to involve any rust belt thinking or old school thinking from Detroit,’ we’re embracing Detroit. There’s a lot of Detroit vendors that are helping us here, especially with the carbon fiber stuff. What we had is, from the get go, is A, we had to design this so it can be built in our existing factory, and B, even the UPS trucks are basically a body on rails…..We designed it from the get go so that it could be built at our existing factory, which dramatically reduced costs.

“It’s really quite remarkable, our body parts will come from a Detroit company, all painted. If you look under the roll cage that the passenger sits in, that’s all carbon fiber and composite. It comes to us in one piece. You don’t have to dip it in anti corrosion material. It’s quite remarkable what we’ve saved by going composite and carbon. As far as traditional up front costs, we’ll have a stainless steel chassis and a carbon fiber everything else. Well, there’s a little steel in there, like in the door; even though the door is carbon fiber it has a steel band in there. We didn’t want to reinvent everything. The size of the bed, the size of the cab, we didn’t want to mess with that. We kept the outside parameters.”

You may recall that another electric truck start up, Deutsche Post, is building all electric delivery vans using mostly parts that are readily available from mainstream, established automotive suppliers.

The W-15 Will Meet All Certification Parameters

“No exceptions, we’re not going to apply for any exceptions. Because the numbers we’re at, our orders have already exceeded the limit, so we’re going for full certification. Again, that’s why I talk about Detroit. Folks from Detroit are really knowledgeable about these things. For example, crash testing. You hope to model it in software and really refine it in software, and only have to crush a few to make sure that they line up with the software algorithms. There are decades of that experience in Detroit. It’s remarkable how close they get.”

Why Does The W-15 Use A Range Extender Engine?

Burns says, “Our goal is to be known as the electric truck company that caters to fleets. That’s why we arrived at a hybrid, or a range extender. What we did was, same thing we do with UPS trucks. We put a battery in there that should cover them for 360 days a year, but once in a while something weird happens, like it will be minus 20 in Chicago or there’s a hurricane in Charlotte and all the Duke trucks have to head for Charlotte from other cities. By putting a range extender in there, we’re able to tell a fleet that they will always complete their mission. Most days you run all electric and you get 75 miles per gallon equivalent, but you know the truck will do anything you ask of it. What people expect of a modern day pick up truck is essentially it can do anything.

“Anyway, if we crunch the numbers with a battery pack big enough to tow, haul, and have over more than just 200 miles range, it would just be too big and expensive and heavy. We put electric motors in that are big enough to tow and haul. We put a pack in there that gives you 80 miles on a normal day, but let’s say now you’ve got 2,000 pounds in the bed and you’re towing a 5,000 pound generator. You’re not going to get 80 miles on all electric, but on that rare day they are more than happy if the gas engine has to turn on. It’s against the [EV] religion to put gas onboard. But our only religion is making fleets happy and if we have to have an insurance policy in there so they feel comfortable, then that’s what we do.”

Beating The Market

Burns knows that Tesla is working right now on an electric pickup truck of its own. But it will be battery electric only, which means it may not have the same appeal to fleet buyers who want a truck that can go anywhere, anytime, with no excuses.  “The reason we want to beat the market is we think we have a two-to-four-year lead here and we want to establish the brand and get enough miles on the road and enough customers and really kind of establish us as, ‘If you want an electric truck, you know this is the company that specializes in that,'” Burns says.

It’s Not All About No Frills Transportation

Fleet managers are pretty frugal people. No leather interiors or chrome wheels for them. UPS even refuses to equip its vehicles with air conditioning. But performance — that shove in the back you feel when you mash the throttle — is still important. “One spec that seems to get everybody excited, and when we had the ride and drives at the LA show, everybody wanted to feel a pick up truck do zero-to-60 in 5.5 seconds. It handles like no other pick up truck just because you’ve got that battery low like that. We’ve got a huge crumple zone up front.”

Safety, performance, no corrosion, reliability, and low ownership costs — those are all factors that gladden the hearts of fleet managers. The company now has a prototype on the road. Next comes field testing and building pre-production trucks for certification purposes and to show off to prospective customers. Workhorse expects to put the W-15 into production before the end of 2018.

Source: Inside EV

UPS Hybrid Electric eBike Comes To Portland, Oregon

UPS has begun using its hybrid eBike tricycle to make deliveries in Portland, Oregon. The eBike has a battery and an electric motor and can be operated on battery power or pedal power alone or a combination of both. “Early in our 109 year history, UPS operated as a bike messenger company,” says Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president global engineering and sustainability. “While we have evolved and developed a vast network of ground and air vehicles, the bicycle may be making a comeback as we navigate through crowded urban areas and continue our focus on environmental sustainability.”

UPS is a leader in developing innovative strategies to make its business more sustainable. By the end of this year, UPS will have invested more than $750 million in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and fueling stations around the world since 2009. Many of those vehicles are “rolling laboratories.” and UPS has 7,700 low emission vehicles in its test fleet. Its goal is to find out what vehicles work best in various situations.  Developing the eBike is part of the company’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions as city populations and e-commerce grow. Reducing congestion and noise in cities are also part of the company’s focus.

In addition to the eBike, UPS is evaluating vehicles that run on natural gas, renewable natural gas, and propane in various places around the world. One of its recent experiments involves plug-in hybrid electric delivery vans with powertrains provided by Workhorse. Those trucks operate solely on electric power but have a 2 cylinder range extender engine onboard to keep the battery charged and prevent drivers being stranded while making their rounds.

During the testing phase for the eBike, UPS will evaluate the reliability, design, integration to the city’s infrastructure, and acceptance of the vehicle. If successful, the company will expand its eBike testing program next year. It thinks the eBike prototype could become an important part of its delivery fleet in other US cities. UPS is already using bicycles for certain deliveries in Portland, weather permitting. The eBike offers drivers more weather protection than a conventional bicycle.

The eBike concept was first used in the city of Hamburg, Germany in 2012 as part of an experiment designed to develop new sustainable methods for delivering goods in urban areas. UPS placed four containers at central locations in the city for interim storage of packages. From these points, deliveries were made on foot or via elecronically assisted tricycles known as “Cargo Cruisers.” These alternate delivery solutions helped ease traffic congestion and reduce emissions each working day. Deemed a success, the Hamburg program was extended for another two years in February 2015.

Source: Electric Cars Report

UPS Adds Hybrid Electric Delivery Van To Its Fleet

UPS has decided to add a battery electric delivery van with a range extender engine to its fleet. It will buy 125 vans equipped with E-GEN hybrid powertrains from Workhorse. “These vehicles are a great example of the impact our Rolling Lab approach is having. Our real world testing of this new technology revealed opportunities to improve its performance and efficiency, which led to the development of a more advanced propulsion system,” says Carlton Rose, president of UPS global fleet maintenance and engineering.

The Workhorse E-GEN is equipped with a 200 kW Sumo electric motor and a 60 kWh battery pack (45 kWh usable). It uses the familiar Panasonic 18650 cells — the same cells used in the Tesla battery pack. It also has a 2 cylinder internal combustion enginge rated at 30 horsepower.

The package is intended to allow the delivery vehicles to complete most of their daily route using electric power only without any concerns about being able to get back to the UPS terminal if battery power is exhausted during the day. The powertrain is designed to maximize fuel economy during the delivery day.

Workhouse describes its E-GEN system this way: “A compact, quiet-running 2-cylinder engine replaces a prior 4-cylinder engine to extend their range, improve performance and fuel efficiency. The updated trucks deliver significant fuel economy equivalency gains — up to four times the fuel economy of a gasoline-powered vehicle.” If the new trucks cut fuel consumption by 75%, that is the sort of number that brings joy to the heart of any fleet manager.

“These low-emission trucks are designed specifically to meet the stop and start needs of UPS’s urban delivery routes, while driving unprecedented fuel and maintenance savings. This new system enables the vehicle to accommodate UPS’s typical route on battery energy and uses a very small internal combustion engine to add additional energy to the batteries when and if needed and eliminates range anxiety,” says Steve Burns, CEO of Workhorse

The new delivery vans will be deployed in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio and Texas. They should e in service by the end of this year. Before 2018 rolls around, UPS intends to log a total of 1 billion miles with alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. It has been experimenting with various types of plug-in hybrid vehicles for several years.

Source: Inside EVs   Photo credit: Workhorse

UPS to use biomethane for Memphis and Jackson alternative fuel fleet

UPS will supply its fleet in Memphis, Tenn., and Jackson, Miss., with an estimated 15 million diesel gallon gas equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG)—biomethane—as part of a multi-year agreement with Memphis Light, Gas and Water and Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC.

Atmos will secure landfill gas and provide it to MLGW for conversion to LNG, which will be delivered to the UPS facility by tractor-trailer. The deal is part of an initiative announced earlier this year by UPS to significantly expand its use of renewable natural gas in UPS’s alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. The company has a goal of driving one billion miles with its alternative fuels fleet—known as the Rolling Laboratory—by the end of 2017.

UPS operates one of the most diversified fleets in private industry today, and renewable natural gas is a critical part of our strategy to expand our fuel sources and minimize the environmental impact associated with growing customer demand. We are using methane that otherwise would be released into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas emission and converting it to power our trucks while helping to promote the use of this renewable fuel in transportation.

—Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president global engineering and sustainability

The RNG will fuel more than 140 heavy duty trucks in Memphis and Jackson, part of UPS’s natural gas fleet, which includes more than 3,800 medium and heavy duty vehicles worldwide. RNG can be derived from many abundant and renewable sources, including decomposing organic waste in landfills, wastewater treatment and agriculture. It is then distributed through the natural gas pipeline system, making it available for use as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG).

In addition to natural gas, UPS also uses many other alternative fuels in the UPS fleet, including propane, ethanol, renewable diesel, and electricity. In 2014, 5.4% of total gas and diesel purchased was displaced by using these alternative fuels.

UPS operates one of the largest private alternative fuel and advanced technology fleets in the US. Its fleet includes more than 6,340 all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, CNG, LNG, propane and light-weight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.

UPS was one of the initial 13 leading companies to take the Obama Administration’s American Business Act on Climate Pledge, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity 20% by 2020.

Jet Powered Truck Drifting in the Desert - VIDEO

Sometimes you know you like someone the moment you meet them. It’s a certain nod to the head or a shared awkwardness or the fact that they showed up to the party sideways in a 100 MPH, jet powered truck cab and chassis that has no business being sideways, going 100 MPH, or having a jet engine mounted between the frame rails. It’s in this third category that the guys from Wrightspeed fall, and I like them.

There’s more to know about the big go-fast truck, however. For one, it’s called the Route, and it’s a hybrid. The Route uses an ultra-efficient turbine engine from Capstone to power a big, heavy battery pack mounted between the Isuzu’s frame rails (also, it’s an Isuzu). The combination is enough for Wrightspeed to cater to the class 3 to class 6 commercial market consisting of 11,000 GVWR to 26,000 GVWR. That weight rating would make the truck a viable option to Ford F650 and Mitsubishi Fuso fleet customers- also known as “anyone and everyone operating commercial fleets, including companies like Cintas, UPS, Waste Management, Brinks, Frito Lay, etc.,” according to Wrightspeed.

The ultra-efficient Route’s power train looks like this …

… but you don’t care about that. You want to see this jet powered truck drifting across the desert at 100 MPH in screaming, low emission, hybrid-electric, helicopter chasing glory. So do I. Here’s the video.

Source | Images: Wrightspeed, via Hybrid Cars andOle Schell.

UPS Trying Out Electric Delivery Trikes In Europe

While Amazon thinks drones are the future of delivery services, for now at least companies like FedEx and UPS still require people power to get packages to your door. In fact, people power is exactly what UPS is using to delivery packages locally in Europe, where electronically-assisted trikes have been delivering packages in the older sections of Dortmund, Germany.

Like many European cities, Dortmund has narrow streets that make maneuvering even small delivery vans difficult. The “UPS Cargo Cruiser” was a pilot project launched in 2012 with a pedal-assisted range of 21 miles, with a top speed of 15 mph. Small, quiet, and costing next to nothing to “fuel” and maintain, the UPS Cargo Cruiser is a clever solution to a common project.

I haven’t been able to find any recent updates on the project, though it’s definitely something that could come stateside sooner rather than later. With over 77 cubic feet of cargo space, that UPS Cargo Cruiser has more room than most mid-size sedans for storage. It’s a brilliant solution, one that could become increasingly important in clustered urban environments in a world where energy prices are only rising. Also, trike drifting totally needs to be a bigger thing.

Will a UPS man be riding an e-trike up your street someday soon?

Source: Gas2.0

UPS sets 2017 goal of 1 billion alternative fuel miles

UPS released its annual Sustainability Report announcing that while the total number of packages shipped in 2012 increased, the company reduced its total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Environmental achievements included ground and air fuel savings, increased investments in alternative fuel vehicles, and retooled routes that shaved 12.1 million miles from ground deliveries.

UPS also set a new alternative fuel goal of one billion cumulative miles (from a baseline of the year 2000) driven by alternative fuel/advanced technology vehicles by 2017, said David Abney, UPS Chief Operating Officer—more than double the previous goal of 400 million miles. Through the end of 2012, UPS has logged 295 million cumulative alternative fuel miles.

UPS tracks the carbon intensity for ground transportation in the US Domestic Package segment—its largest segment by volume—by ground packages per gallon of fuel. Fuel consumption includes delivery vehicles; feeder vehicles that travel between distribution hubs; and third-party transportation used for transportation by rail and for package delivery (including the US Postal Service, which handles a small percentage of UPS package volume).

In 2012, UPS increased the number of ground packages per gallon of fuel to 8.85 (its fourth straight year of increase). While package volume rose 2.7% for the segment in 2012, fuel consumption rose only 0.3%.

One of the cornerstones of UPS’ environmental strategy is to support the development and use of lower-emission alternative fuels. Vehicles represent approximately 35% of UPS’ carbon footprint; accordingly the company is accelerating its testing, purchase and deployment of new-generation vehicles. Between 2000 and the end of 2012, the alternative fuel/advanced technology fleet has logged 295 million miles; in 2012, this growing fleet drove 49 million miles, a 43% increase compared to 2011.

In 2012, UPS helped launch a working group managed by BSR to advance the development of alternative fuels. Participants include academics, corporations, NGOs, and environmentalists. The first result of the process is a publicly available report entitled The Sustainability Impact of Fuels, which focuses on understanding the total sustainability impacts of commercial transportation fuels, including full lifecycle analysis.

Earlier this year, UPS announced plans to add nearly 1,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors in the next two years, expanding its current fleet of 2,700 alternative fuel and technologically advanced vehicles. The fleet today includes all-electric, electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids, natural gas (LNG, compressed natural gas), propane, biomethane, and light-weight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.

The new Sustainability Report also cites the greenhouse gas reductions, fuel savings and miles avoided through the innovative use of technology. For example, UPS’ proprietary telematics system gathers data on more than 200 performance variables for vehicles and drivers, to help reduce the miles driven per package handled. Telematics data fed through vehicle sensors helped UPS cut more than 206 million minutes of engine idling time last year, saving more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel. Routing technology increased pickup and delivery stops per mile, saving 12.1 million miles of driving which equates to approximately 1.3 million gallons of fuel.

UPS had 2,688 alternative fuel/advanced technology vehicles in operation in ten countries at the end of 2012.

Also notable: UPS Airlines, which represents 57% of UPS’ carbon footprint, reduced its fuel use and carbon production. Air shipping volume rose 4.8% year over year, while fuel use dropped 1.3%.

The primary metric for the carbon intensity of UPS Airlines is CO₂ pounds emitted per available ton mile (CO₂ lbs/ATM), using nautical miles. An available ton mile is a unit that combines cargo weight and distance carried. The company’s long-term goal for this metric is a 20% reduction from the 2005 baseline. (This represents a 42% reduction from 1990.)

In 2010, UPS Airlines carbon intensity was 1.39 CO₂ lbs/ATM; this increased to 1.41 in 2011, and was back down to 1.40 in 2012. Results for both 2011 and 2012 were strongly affected by the loss of a 747-400 cargo aircraft due to fire in the third quarter of 2010. This event has had a ripple effect, UPS explained, requiring it to reroute numerous other aircraft around the world in order to meet customer commitments. Other aircraft do not offer the emissions efficiency of the 747- 400, and the lost aircraft has not been replaced. UPS is planning to retrofit its 767 fleet with winglets this year and next to help offset the impact.

Other highlights of the 2012 report include:

• Reduction in the absolute amount of global greenhouse gas emissions from operations and purchased energy of 2.1% compared to 2011.
• Rapid expansion of UPS’ dedicated global healthcare infrastructure to more than 6 million square feet (0.557 million m²).
• A Global Forestry Initiative to plant more than 1 million trees by the end of 2013.
• Humanitarian relief efforts in 35 countries, with related in-kind donations valued at US$2.6 million.
• Total charitable contributions and United Way donations of US$97.5 million, up from 2011 by US$4 million.
• 1.8 million volunteer hours donated by UPS employees, friends and families, a new record

For the second year in a row, UPS earned superior credentials for reporting transparency: A Sustainability Report that fulfills the Global Reporting Initiative’s requirements for an A+ level as well as third-party assurance of its report and greenhouse gas data from Deloitte & Touche LLP. Less than 20% of all GRI Sustainability Reports are A+.

Source: Green Car Congress

UPS to purchase ~700 LNG trucks, build 4 refueling stations by end of 2014

UPS plans to purchase approximately 700 liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks and to build four refueling stations by the end of 2014. Once completed, the LNG private fleet will be one of the most extensive in the US.

An initial investment of more than $18 million to build fueling stations will be supported by the purchase of the 700 LNG tractors and continued expansion of the natural gas fleet in the US. UPS already operates 112 LNG tractor trailers from fueling stations in Las Vegas, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz., and Beaver and Salt Lake City, Utah, and has its own LNG fueling station on its property in Ontario, Calif.

New UPS-built fueling stations in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis, Tenn., and Dallas, Texas, will serve its heavy-duty rigs traveling into adjacent states. With the addition of accessible LNG fueling stations, UPS also will add LNG trucks on routes from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas to further extend territory.

UPS was a founding Interstate Clean Transportation Corridor (ICTC) fleet partner, a group that established publicly accessible LNG fueling stations in California, Las Vegas, and Utah. The ICTC steering committee includes eight government and regulatory agencies at the local, state and national levels.

LNG is a good alternative to petroleum-based fuel for long-haul delivery fleets as it is abundant and produces reduced emissions at less cost. At UPS, we are helping to knock down some of the biggest hurdles to broad market acceptance of LNG in commercial transportation by continuing to establish vehicle demand, fuel and maintenance infrastructures. We plan expansion through infrastructure partnerships and a broader fleet in states that are leading the way to make alternative fuel vehicles economically feasible.

—Scott Davis, UPS Chairman and CEO

UPS has been operating natural gas vehicles for more than a decade. With natural gas prices 30-40% lower than imported diesel and US production gearing up, the logistics company is investing more aggressively in the natural gas infrastructure necessary to make it part of the UPS delivery network here. Beyond favorable fuel cost and domestic resource access, the industry cites 25% less CO₂emissions.

Worldwide UPS has more than 1,000 natural gas vehicles on the road today. UPS’s alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet of more than 2,600 vehicles also includes a wide array of low-emissions vehicles, including all-electrics, electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids, propane, compressed natural gas and biomethane. Since 2000, the fleet powered by alternative fuels and technologies has driven more than 295 million miles.

UPS deploys 100 commercial EVs in California

UPS announced the deployment of 100 fully electric commercial vehicles that will be delivering packages around the state. The vehicles were manufactured in Stockton, California by Electric Vehicles International (EVI).

These UPS electric trucks will reduce the consumption of conventional motor fuel by approximately 126,000 gallons per year. Additional benefits include reduction of carbon emissions and noise. The vehicles have a range of up to 75 miles and primarily will deliver packages to customers in Sacramento, San Bernardino, Ceres, Fresno and Bakersfield.

Partners involved in the project include the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, US Environmental Protection Agency, South Coast Air Quality Management District, San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District and Sacramento Air Quality Management District.

Global hybrid and plug-in truck sales will almost double this year

Global hybrid and plug-in truck sales will almost double this year as more companies and public entities turn to advanced powertrains to cut fuel costs, green-technology research firm Pike Research said.

In 2012, hybrid and electric-drive truck sales around the world will reach about 19,000 vehicles and will increase by more than 45 percent for each of the next five years until it hits more than 100,000 vehicles by the end of 2017, Pike Research said.

The increase reflects a combination of a broader range of electric-drive models for utility vehicles and a rebound in the retail industry, which will free up cash for companies to pay more for alt-fuel vehicles, according to Pike Research senior analyst Dave Hurst. Industry analysts have predicted rapid growth for electric-drive trucks because of the potentially substantial fuel-cost savings relative to conventional diesel trucks, which usually get well below 10 miles per gallon.

AT&T, Coca-Cola, FedEx and UPS are among companies that in recent years have stepped up efforts to buy hybrid or plug-in trucks in order to cut both fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions from their fleets.


Source: Autoblog Green

Corporate Vehicle Fleet Managers Looking To Add EV's

Fleet managers rated rising, volatile fuel prices as their top concern for 2011, over driver safety and cost savings, according to a survey conducted by General Electric Capital Fleet Services during the 2011 NAFA Institute and Expo. The survey shows that 28% of the 105 corporate fleet managers they questioned will introduce electric vehicles into their fleets within a year, possibly as one solution to the spike in gas prices.

Fleet vehicle heavy hitters like Ryder, UPS, FedEx (and even the USPS!) already boast EVs in their fleets. Back in November, General Electric Co. (GE) pledged to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles for its own fleet and for global fleet customers by 2015- almost have of which will be purchased from General Motors Co. The first model will be the Chevrolet Volt- which has been earning rave reviews from owners.

While 25,000 vehicles may be a drop in the bucket, Deb Frodl, Chief Strategy Officer for GE Capital Fleet Services, claims that GE might be in a “strong position” to promote EV adoption and growth, presumably by example. GE owns one of the largest fleets, operates a global fleet management business, and offers a multitude of EV-related products that may contribute to the development of an EV infrastructure. There are also now more plug-in and electric vehicle options for fleet managers to choose from than just five years ago, giving the market more choice in which direction they choose to go.

Source: Gas2.0

UPS and Electric Vehicles International to Demonstrate Fully Electric Walk-In Van

UPS has begun a 90-day demonstration trial of the Electric Vehicles International (EVI) walk-in van (EVI-WI). The EVI-WI is built on a Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) glider equipped with a Utilimaster body.

Over the past year, EVI and UPS have worked together to develop a vehicle to meet the needs of the parcel delivery service industry. Earlier this year, EVI received California Air Resource Board (CARB) approval for the EVI-WI. Customers who purchase the EVI-WI can take advantage of a $20,000 CARB rebate through the Hybrid Truck and Bus Incentive Project (HVIP).

The 90-day demonstration process with UPS will be split into three 30-day, smaller demonstrations in vastly different regional locations. The vehicle demonstration will begin in Sacramento, followed by San Francisco and concluding in Reno.

The drivetrain for the EVI-WI combines a 99 kWh Li-ion battery pack from Valence, a 150 kW (continuous), 200 kW (peak electric motor) and a five speed automatic manual transmission with PTO. Expected average range is 90 miles (145 km), and maximum speed is 60 mph (97 km/h).