FedEx Establishes First All-Hybrid Facility

To fully equip a Bronx, N.Y., station as the company’s first all-hybrid facility, FedEx Express ordered 51 new hybrid vehicles from Azure Dynamics.

Most of the new vehicles will go into service at a Bronx station that will employ a total of approximately 100 hybrid trucks. The fleet of hybrid electric and electric vehicles for the entire FedEx operation will total 325 when the new step-vans are delivered during November and December.

The design is especially useful for city driving, FedEx said. With its electric-launch assist, engine-off at idle, and regenerative braking, the FedEx Azure gasoline-electric step-vans are well-suited for the tough start-and-stop conditions endured in the everyday traffic of one of the world’s busiest cities. As a result, FedEx expects a fuel efficiency improvement of 30 percent while also reducing its carbon footprint.

“Even during a challenging fiscal year, FedEx has continued to make investments in hybrid electric and electric vehicles a priority because of the long-term value in vehicle technologies that reduce fuel costs and pollution,” said John Formisano, vice president of global vehicles, FedEx Express. “FedEx now operates seven different hybrid or electric truck models around the globe, demonstrating that commercial delivery vans can reduce pollution and increase efficiency without any sacrifice in performance and durability.”

Contact Thomas L. Gallagher at tgallagher@joc.com.