FedEx has now started on the “next phase” of its electric vehicle rollout after initially launching construction on electronic direct current charging stations back in January.
One of the biggest logistics companies in the US, Federal Express has been using all-electric vehicles as part of its pickup-and-delivery fleet for more than 10 years.
Through a new agreement with Chanje Energy, the company plans to electrify 42 FedEx stations in California, making it one of the largest deployments of integrated charging infrastructure by a single commercial fleet to date.
FedEx announced the addition of 1,000 Chanje V8100 electric delivery vehicles to its fleet in November 2018. FedEx is purchasing 100 of the vehicles from Chanje Energy and leasing 900 from Ryder System.
The new agreement will provide an “innovative infrastructure” to support the continued rollout of its electric vehicle fleet, says FedEx.
Mitch Jackson, chief sustainability officer, FedEx Corp, says: “FedEx is thrilled to continue being a pioneering industry leader in the electric vehicle space.
“The vehicles and DC charging infrastructure will not only help FedEx meet our operational efficiency and sustainability goals, but provide learning, scaling and experience to others in the vehicle electrification journey. We believe this will be a game-changer.”
The DC charging system was designed specifically for FedEx. The innovative project will support daily charging for more than 1,000 electric vehicles, which were leased to FedEx.
Notable features include:
- Higher maximum power output than standard Level 2 chargers;
- Variable rate technology allowing FedEx to proactively adjust charging speed or shift energy usage away from peak hours to minimize electric utility bills;
- DC (direct current) charging hardware, which is 10 percent more efficient than AC (alternating current) charging; and
- Software platform for remote monitoring and real-time charger controls.
Chanje Energy will begin production of the EVs later this year. The vehicles are manufactured by FDG Electric Vehicles in Hangzhou, China, and purchased through Chanje Energy, the company’s subsidiary for global business.
They will be delivered on a rolling basis over the next year. Ryder System will provide maintenance and distribution support services for all of the vehicles.
FedEx has been using all-electric vehicles as part of its pickup-and-delivery fleet since 2009.
The company believes that wider adoption of alternative-fuel, electric and hybrid electric vehicles in transportation will “play a key role in reducing global emissions, while diversifying and expanding renewable energy solutions”.
