UPS partners with LA-based startup Thor to develop electric delivery truck

[kscarbel2]

Reuters  /  July 31, 2018

United Parcel Service said it would partner with a Los Angeles-based company to develop an electric medium-duty delivery truck, as the package delivery company expands its fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles.

The truck, developed jointly with electric commercial vehicle startup Thor* Trucks Inc, is expected to be deployed later this year, UPS said on Tuesday.

The truck will have a driving range of about 100 miles, with lightweight battery designed and built by Thor.

UPS will test the class-6 delivery truck for the first six months, including its battery capacity and technical integration, after which UPS may buy more of these trucks.

This will be a part of UPS’s plan of about 9,300 low-emission vehicles, including all-electric, hybrid electric and CNG, to understand which technology works best for some routes.

UPS has partnered with Workhorse Group to build an all-new electric delivery van, and also has pre-ordered 125 electric semi-trucks from Tesla Inc.

*  https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/51984-another-all-electric-class-8-prepares-for-production/?tab=comments#comment-387733

 

[kscarbel2]

UPS agrees to help develop, test new Thor electric delivery truck

Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  July 31, 2018

California-based electric truck startup Thor Trucks is about a year from debuting their Class 8 ET-One tractor but their efforts in lighter GVWRs just got a major shot in the arm.

Shipping giant UPS announced Tuesday a collaboration with the truck maker to develop and test a fully electric Class 6 delivery truck in Los Angeles, Calif., later this year.

Carlton Rose, UPS president of global fleet maintenance and engineering, says UPS will test the medium-duty electric delivery truck as part of its fleet for six months. Testing will include off-road evaluation to address durability, battery capacity, technical integration, engineering and any items found during on-road testing. Depending on the success of the deployment, Rose UPS may make additional purchases of the vehicle.

“UPS believes in the future of commercial electric vehicles,” Rose says. “We want to support the research needed to make advances and the companies developing those innovative products. Performance is critical in our fleet. We are excited to get this vehicle on the road to test how it handles routes in and around Los Angeles.”

Thor Trucks CEO and co-founder Dakota Semler says the chance to work with UPS is valuable opportunity for his company to gain insight into what it will take to fulfill its mission of getting entire electric fleets on the road.

UPS’s is far from a newcomer into the electric truck space. The company already uses electric vehicles and works with a wide array of manufacturers including ARRIVAL, Daimler, Tesla, Thor, Workhorse and others. UPS deploys about 9,300 low-emission vehicles, including all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane.

.

[kscarbel2]

UPS to Test Fully Electric Thor Delivery Truck

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  August 2, 2018

UPS and electric truck maker Thor Trucks are collaborating on a fully electric Class 6 to be developed and tested in Los Angeles.

The truck is expected to be ready to deploy later this year, according to UPS. It will have a driving range of approximately 100 miles and is powered by a Thor-designed and built battery made to be lightweight and durable.

The plan is for UPS to test the medium-duty delivery truck in in fleet operations for six months. Testing will include both on- and off-road evaluations where aspects such as durability, battery capacity, and technical integration can be studied.

“UPS is committed to sustainability and operates one of the most well-respected and complex fleets in the country,” said Dakota Semler, co-founder and CEO of Thor Trucks. “This is also an incredibly valuable opportunity to gain insight into what it will take to fulfill our mission of getting entire electric fleets on the road.”

This is the latest project to be announced as part of UPS’s Rolling Laboratory approach that deploys low-emissions vehicles in the real world to determine what technology works best on each route. So far the company has 9,300 low-emissions vehicles including all-electric, hybrid electric, compressed natural gas, and other alternative powertrain types. On the electric vehicle front, UPS is working with several manufacturers including Arrival, Daimler, Tesla, Thor, and Workhorse.

As a company UPS has announced several initiatives to lower its environmental impact. It has a 2020 goal of making one in four new vehicles purchased an alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle. The company also set a goal of replacing 40% of all ground fuel with sources other than conventional gasoline and diesel. Ultimately, UPS has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions from global ground operations 12% by 2025.

“UPS believes in the future of commercial electric vehicles. We want to support the research needed to make advances and the companies developing those innovative products,” said Carlton Rose, president, global fleet maintenance and engineering for UPS. “Performance is critical in our fleet."

.