Last mile delivery vans are ideal for electrification and the latest major operator to announce a switch away from diesel is UPS.
The global parcel delivery service has been trialling electric and hybrid delivery vehicles in recent years and announced it will attempt to slash its global emissions by 12% by 2025.
One way of achieving that goal is by using electric-drive delivery vans.
The latest development on that front is the announcement that UPS and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) would begin converting UPS package delivery vehicles from diesel to electric.
The vans will be fitted with a 225-kilowatt Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) supplied by Unique Electric Solutions.
Carlton Rose, UPS president of global fleet maintenance and engineering, says making the switch to electric drive makes sense.
“This program will help UPS develop and deploy electric delivery trucks faster and more affordable.
“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.”
The project is being supported by a half million-dollar government grant and the first electric-drive UPS vans are expected to be on the job in the big apple by mid-2018.