UPS Tests Super-Efficient Truck
UPS recently began testing a new lightweight delivery truck, made from a plastic-like composite material, to see if the new trucks can achieve 40 percent fuel efficiency over current vehicles. Photo: UPS
With gas prices on the rise again, UPS is testing a new lightweight delivery truck that could be 40 percent more efficient than its current vehicles.
Made from a plastic-like composite material, the new trucks are approximately 1,000 pounds lighter than the shipping company’s traditional trucks and have a smaller, more efficient diesel engine.
The new composite trucks offer other benefits in addition to improved fuel economy, UPS says. Manufacturing the new truck uses less energy than producing typical vehicles, and no paints are used, making the new truck’s construction eco-friendly. The truck’s bumpers, fenders and side cladding can be easily replaced if they are damaged, rather than requiring body repair work.
UPS began using the new trucks last month in five locations across the country and will conclude its testing in December. Cities in Nebraska, Arizona and New York were chosen as test sites to evaluate the truck’s performance under a variety of weather and road conditions.
UPS already has a fleet of 2,000 alternative fuel vehicles, including natural gas, propane, hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicles. The new composite trucks give the company another eco-friendly option: They will cut down on fuel use, but are not dependant on the still-growing alternative fuel infrastructure.
You may also like…
USPS Issues ‘Go Green’ Stamps
Sen. Harkin: Biofuels Don’t Contribute to World Hunger
Your Future Battery-Powered Life
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments.
The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
Straght Thought
posted on May 14th, 2011 at 4:01 am
Bolting on new parts (which were manufactured!) is not considered repairing? Hammering out some dents in metal parts is not always that consumptive of resources. Ignoring realities of everyday practicalities can lead to enthusiasm for less than perfect solutions.
JoeC
posted on May 18th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Let’s congratulate UPS on their efforts to operate in a cleaner, Earth-friendly and more efficient way and not criticise them about repaired versus replaced body parts on their trucks.
I suspect that UPS wants to present as good a face as possible to the public. Therefore the company would want its trucks to be clean, neat and undamaged; a hammered-out fender doesn’t look like an undamaged one. They would probably also want to keep any repair costs (materials, labor and down-time) as low as possible. Repairing a damaged fender at a body shop –I’m not sure if they do body work in-house, and even so– can cost $$$ in downtime, labor and materials. Repairing by a simple bolt-on process would certainly lower labor and time costs. Metal parts can be recycled and paints for repair wouldn’t be necessary –two eco-friendly factors to consider. WAY-TO-GO, UPS; you rock.
Jeff Cordulack
posted on May 18th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Good. Great, infact. But, what is the MPG now or what would the resulting MPG be after a 40% savings? I am guessing it is now less than 10 miles per gallon.
Also – 2,000 alternative fuel vehicles? Where are they hiding? I am guessing that is a single fuel cell. More info would have been encouraging.
Otherwise – keep on keeping on! It is all good news. Except the news about GMO foods. That seems to be all bad news. http://www.seedsofdeception.com