UPS orders a dozen Modec electric vans for UK and German fleets
Energy costs are play a huge part in the potential profitability of package delivery companies like UPS, DHL and FedEx. That's why all these companies are experimenting with alternative drive vehicles to conduct business. Here in the U.S., UPS has been testing hydraulic hybrid vehicles while over in the UK, the company known for its brown vans is going electric. UPS has just ordered 12 electric vans from Modec. The company's UK and German fleets will each get six vans starting next February. UPS has already been testing one of the vans out of its main London facility for nine months. During that time the van averaged 18 miles per day and only used a quarter of its battery charge capability per day. For an application like package delivery in a dense urban environment like London low mileage is probably fairly typical so range is not as much of a concern. The constant starting and stopping also provides a lot of opportunity for regenerative braking, further improving the range.
Gallery: MODEC - Electric Delivery Van
[Source: Modec]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Serge 4:31PM (11/11/2008)
Perfect application for an EV van.
Reply
Stan Wellaway 4:36PM (11/11/2008)
I had a look around and inside the UPS van that Modec displayed at the Commercial Vehicles Show (CV2008) in Birmingham, UK a few months ago. A very smart vehicle.
There were five other makers of all-electric vans at that show - the biggest of them being Smith EV. Check out the Case Studies page of their website at http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com
The whole concept - of using electric vehicles for depot-based delivery routes - is now proven. Which is why so many makers are now muscling in on the market created by Smith and Modec.
Reply
why not the LS2LS7? 4:02AM (11/12/2008)
Pret a Manger's delivery trucks in London were all electric.
London is a great place for electric commercial vehicles for the reasons stated here. Basically, routes are short but have a ton of starts and stops. This makes electric vehicles very feasible and efficient.
Stan Wellaway 5:18AM (11/12/2008)
London is particularly favourable because of the congestion charge applicable to other vehicles but from which EVs are exempt. But 70 other cities across Europe are looking at bringing in anti-congestion road tolls to deter traffic - and many of those will include exemptions favouring zero-emission vehicles.
Brn 7:02PM (11/11/2008)
UPS is no stranger to trying alternative methods of transport. It's no surprise as they stand a lot to benefit and have a large enough fleet to experiment a little.
Reply
state 9:07PM (11/11/2008)
"UPS has just ordered 12 electric vans from Modec"
Ooooooh, a dozen, makes me tingly inside. Imagine the non-impact 12 trucks will have. Sounds a lot like Telsa Motors impact on clean air and carbon foot print. Like nothing.
Reply
Stan Wellaway 5:34AM (11/12/2008)
state - look a little further. Perhaps starting with another large delivery company called TNT (see that Case Studies page on the Smith EV website above). They have bought 150 all-electric trucks - mostly bigger than the Modec one. Modec have now sold over 100 and Smith more than 350, all of which are in use on UK highways and in parts of Europe.
Scoff as much as you like. It's happening.
Serge 10:30AM (11/12/2008)
what proposition for "big" impact do you have, state? Let's hear it.
Throwback 11:11AM (11/12/2008)
The right vehicle for the right application. As for congestion charging, what difference does it make if a gas car or an EV is causing congestion? It doesn't, this is a smog charge and should be labeled as such.
Reply
why not the LS2LS7? 8:35PM (11/12/2008)
It's more of a tax than anything.
Bill 12:09PM (11/12/2008)
It'll never go over with the drivers. It doesn't appear to have sliding side doors that they can leave open.
But seriously, I think it's a great start.
Reply
giyad 1:24PM (11/12/2008)
DHL no longer exists as of yesterday...
Reply
Chris M 9:58PM (11/12/2008)
DHL failed because they couldn't compete with UPS and FedEx. Both of those companies have been developing lots of ways to hold down fuel costs, including optimizing delivery routes and using hybrid and electric vehicles.
giyad 1:28AM (11/13/2008)
my comment was just a reply to the first sentence of the article...
Stan Wellaway 8:08AM (4/08/2009)
DHL does exist. It pulled out of the US market, but still operates in Europe.
Reply