UPS Deploys 25 Hybrid Electric Vehicles to Huston

UPS has expanded its fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles with the deployment of 25 next-generation hybrid electric delivery trucks to Houston.

Currently, 50 UPS hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) operate in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix.

The 25 trucks deployed in huston are part of 200 new HEVs deployed recently to eight U.S. cities. The 200 new trucks will operate in Austin, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Long Island, Minneapolis and Louisville.

UPS expects that the 200 new HEV package cars would 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 tons the amount of CO2 gases released annually into the atmosphere.

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.

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 HEV fleet features a chassis from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation 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 UPS alternative fuel fleet is a diverse one with multiple technologies, including compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, electricity, and hydraulic hybrid technology. Since 2000, the alternative-fuel fleet has traveled more than 165 million miles.

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