A UK automotive manufacturer is seeing orders grow for its line of electric delivery trucks that can be outfitted to meet the needs of any supply company.
Coventry-based
Modec has just secured an order for an additional 14
electric vehicles from logistics company
UPS. The new vehicles bring UPS’s 'green’ fleet up to 20. Modec, which keeps its engineers and suppliers based in the UK, now has over 150 of its vehicles in operation around the UK. It counts companies such as Tesco, FedEx and M&S among its growing client base.
Modec says its vehicles are designed to keep diesel engine trucks off the roads and claims one of its trucks saves nine tonnes of CO2 from being emitted each year, compared to a diesel equivalent.
The trucks come in three standard models, but can be outfitted to meet the unique needs of their customers. Tesco, Modec’s first client, required refrigeration to keep its goods fresh for delivery, so Modec made a special refrigeration box van available.
UPS’s latest order is to enable the company serve the key London 2012 Games venues. It will treble the number of electric vehicles deployed by the company in London.
"With the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games only 18 months away, we are very focused on reducing the carbon footprint of our delivery network in the capital," said Cindy Miller, managing director of UPS UK, Ireland & Nordics. "This is an important step in our continued commitment to making our
operations more sustainable."
Vehicle performance
A key reason why UPS chose Modec is down to the high performance its vehicles deliver for hard working urban delivery requirements. Carrying a two tonne load, the trucks can drive up at a rate of 50 miles per hour for up to 100 miles without needing to be recharged.
To keep business moving, the battery is designed so that it can be swapped out for a fully charged one in 20 minutes. The truck can continue with its deliveries while the other battery reaches its full charge in eight hours.
The vehicles UPS purchased charge in only six hours and have a maximum range of 60 miles.
Batteries in Modec vehicles are either Lithium-Ion Phosphate batteries from Axeon or Modec’s Zebra battery solution. Not only is the battery designed to benefit the environment, but so to is the truck. The trucks are 98 per cent recyclable, so when they are no longer fit for operation, the parts stay out of landfills, says Modec.
To make the trucks truly zero-carbon, Modec urges that the vehicles be charged using
renewable energy.
Electric cash in transit vehicle
In a separate development, G4S Cash Solutions is launching the first fully electric cash in transit vehicle, which is expected to prevent nearly 5,000 kilogrammes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.
To make the vehicle zero carbon, it’s outfitted with Lithium-Ion batteries and a solar panel on the roof to keep the battery charging.
"I believe that this prototype may lead G4S into deploying more of these vehicles in city centres, harnessing the benefits of zero pollution and noise, while providing clear economic operating benefits," said Ken Niven, the divisional ceo of G4S Cash Solutions.
The vehicle, which was developed with Allied Electric, is able to run up to 100 miles without needing to be recharged.
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