UPS and BPW announced that the companies are testing a new e-vehicle model in Germany. The next-generation UPS delivery truck is a converted diesel vehicle that incorporates an innovative dual-motor rear axle drive developed by BPW, and is now making deliveries in central Cologne. This test is part of UPS’s ongoing dual commitment to innovation and reducing the environmental impact of its services.
The test vehicle currently on the streets of Cologne is a conventional 7.5 tonne UPS delivery truck that has been converted to run on electricity with a dual-motor rear axle, and has an approximately range of 100 km. The refit was carried out by BPW, based in Wiehl. Two motors and the transmission are integrated into the rear axle. Power is provided by an 84 kwh battery, which is enough capacity to provide a household of four people with energy for a week1. The combination of independent drives on each rear wheel and the power of the motors increases the maneuverability of the delivery truck. For example, on slippery roads, each wheel receives the optimum torque for the acceleration force required.
UPS has been using electric vehicles for parcel delivery in Germany since 2008. As there are no purely electric 7.5-tonne vehicles currently available on the market, UPS began converting conventional diesel vehicles in 2010. Currently, more than 80 fully-electric vehicles are in use in Germany, primarily 7.5-tonne class vehicles. To support its emissions reduction objectives, UPS has set a goal of sourcing 40% of its ground fuel from low carbon or alternative fuels by 2025. In addition, 25% of new vehicle purchases annually by 2020 will be alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles.
Using its “rolling laboratory” approach, UPS deploys approximately 10,000 low-emission vehicles worldwide to determine what alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles work best in various routes and duty cycles. This includes all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane.
