Hybrid-powered vehicles received a huge boost in the United States yesterday when, according to the New York Times (NYT), the FedEx Corporation announced that it planned to replace 30,000 of its delivery trucks with energy-saving, environmentally friendly hybrid-powered vehicles.

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The company reportedly said that it had already purchased 20 such trucks to begin building what would be one of the first big commercial fleets of hybrid vehicles, powered by both diesel engines and electric motors in a mix controlled by onboard computers, which would be introduced over the next several months in four American cities.


The NYT said that, though the company has committed to only purchasing the first 20 trucks, FedEx Express unit president David J. Bronczek said: “I can’t envision any reason why we wouldn’t roll this out over the whole fleet.”.


The paper said that Cleveland, Ohio-based Eaton Corporationwould provide the hybrid electric technology for the trucks.


The New York Times said that, along with United Parcel Service Inc. and the Postal Service, FedEx has one of the three largest fleets in the country — 42,000 delivery vans and trucks, which log two million miles each day. The company plans to use the hybrids to replace its medium-size delivery trucks, the ones commonly seen on city streets.

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FedEx said that while the new trucks will be more expensive to purchase, they increase fuel efficiency by 50% and will be less costly to maintain, the paper added. The company hopes to break even over the 10 to 12 years that the trucks are expected to last, Bronczek reportedly said.


According to the NYT, Broczek said the shift to hybrids would reduce the company’s sensitivity to fuel prices. “When OPEC’s fuel prices swing one way or another, the effects on costs are significant,” he reportedly said.


The New York Times noted that, on Monday, UPS and DaimlerChrysler announced a joint project to put at least one delivery truck powered by a hydrogen fuel cell on the road by 2004 with the Environmental Protection Agency supplying a hydrogen refuelling station for the project in Ann Arbor, Michigan. UPS already operates 1,024 compressed natural-gas vehicles around the country, the paper added.


According to the New York Times, FedEx said that the new trucks will reduce particle emissions by 90% and smog-causing nitrogen dioxide by 75%.