UPS this week announced plans to add 200 hybrid trucks to its delivery fleet beginning in January.
The parcel delivery giant said that the trucks, produced by Workhorse Group, will provide about four times the fuel economy of a conventional gasoline truck. They will be deployed in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and potentially additional states.
UPS announced the purchase of 125 of the 2-cylinder engine, E-GENTM chassis trucks earlier this year. The trucks are powered with the help of lithium ion batteries and range extender engines, and UPS' cloud-based monitoring systems will help maximize the efficiency of delivery routes and fuel use.
"We are committed to developing alternative fuel vehicles that lessen our impact on the environment and reliance on petroleum based fuels," said senior vice president for global engineering and sustainability Mark Wallace. "That effort is helping to transform markets and communities."
UPS touted one of the largest alternative fuel and advanced technology fleets in the U.S.
In addition to hybrid vehicles, the company's more than 7,200 low-emission vehicles incorporate all-electric powertrains and composite materials as well as systems fueled by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas and propane.