SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Feb. 6, 2013) — United Parcel Service of America Inc. (UPS) plans to deploy 100 fully electric commercial vehicles (EVs) for its delivery fleet in California.
The announcement Feb. 5 will help the implementation of Gov. Jerry Brown's executive order to achieve widespread deployment of zero emission vehicles throughout California, UPS said in a press release.
"These all-electric vehicles remind us that California continues to be a dynamic center of innovation," Gov. Brown said. "These trucks were built here, they'll be driven here and they're already changing the way business is done here—cutting emissions and eliminating the need for tanker trucks' worth of fossil fuels."
The UPS EVs will reduce the consumption of conventional motor fuel by approximately 126,000 gallons per year, UPS estimated. 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.
"We currently operate more than 2,500 alternative fuel vehicles worldwide with a variety of hybrid, electric and natural gas technologies, making UPS the leader in logistics sustainability," said Myron Gray, president of U.S. operations for UPS. "We use our technology and logistics expertise to reduce emissions around the world and help test new automotive technologies."
The partners responsible for giving the project the go-ahead include the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development; California Air Resources Board; California Energy Commission; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); South Coast Air Quality Management District; San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District; and Sacramento Air Quality Management District.
"EPA's funding of these electric delivery trucks highlights our commitment to the rapid deployment of electric vehicles as a means of cleaning the air, creating jobs and spurring innovation," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "California's communities will benefit from both the local manufacturing of these UPS electric trucks and from the resulting elimination of harmful diesel emissions."
The EVs were manufactured in Stockton, Calif., by Electric Vehicles International (EVI). UPS' purchase of the vehicles from EVI is also providing new jobs and revenue to the state, the company said, as well as creating vehicles that will improve air quality.
Atlanta-based UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.