UPS says it is deploying 40 new hydraulic hybrid vehicles (HHVs) built by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) and Parker Hannifin Corp. These vehicles incorporate both a traditional diesel engine and an advanced hydraulic hybrid system, which stores braking energy in a hydraulic high-pressure accumulator and later uses that stored energy to propel the vehicle.
The UPS fleets in Atlanta and Baltimore will each receive 20 HHVs, which yield up to 35% improved fuel economy and up to 30% CO2 emissions reduction over traditional diesel-powered vehicles that use automatic transmissions in stop-and-go applications, according to the company. UPS currently has one HHV in operation in Laguna Hills, Calif.
‘In terms of fuel economy, range and performance, the HHV is ideal for challenging pickup and delivery routes like those served by UPS,’ says Mike Stark, FCCC's senior technical sales manager, national accounts.
UPS operates almost 2,600 alternative fuel vehicles: hybrid electric, electric, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, biomethane and propane-powered vehicles.
