Some 'Brown’ delivery vans go green

United Parcel Service Inc. said Friday it has ordered 50 hybrid electric delivery vehicles and acquire 4,100 low-emission vehicles during 2006 as part of a strategy to cut costs.

“We are working on the same assumption as most of the rest of the world that oil is not going to last forever,” UPS fleet environment manager Robert Hall told Reuters. “As the world changes we are going to need to deliver our packages in a fuel-efficient manner.”

The Atlanta, Georgia-based company said each of the 50 hybrid electric vehicles will look the same as traditional UPS trucks but save some 44,000 gallons of fuel annually.

Apart from emitting 16,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide annually, the 4,100 low-emission trucks are also 15 percent more fuel-efficient and will save UPS 1.5 million gallons per year, the company said.

UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, has a global fleet of around 91,000 vehicles. Some 10,000 of those are already low-emission trucks.

The company would not disclose how much the new trucks will cost, but spokesman Norman Black said the hybrids generally cost twice as much as ordinary trucks.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

“But the idea is to recoup that investment through fuel savings,” he said.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

The hybrids will reduce UPS’ emissions by 457 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

In a hybrid vehicle, the conventional engine is assisted by an electric motor, which generates electricity from braking and coasting. The engine and motor charge the batteries, which provides additional power. The batteries used to store that extra power in the UPS hybrids will be lithium-ion, instead of the more common nickel metal hydride batteries.

The hybrids will be produced by International Truck and Engine, which is the primary operating subsidiary of Navistar International, and Freightliner LLC. The majority of the low-emission vehicles will be made by Freightliner LLC.