Logistics firm UPS has announced a collaboration with Thor Trucks to develop and test a fully-electric class 6 delivery truck in Los Angeles, USA. The truck is expected to be ready for deployment later this year.
The Thor electric delivery truck will have a driving range of approximately 100 miles powered by a Thor-designed and built battery that will be lightweight, durable and allow long-range driving distances. For six months, UPS will test the medium-duty electric delivery truck as part of its fleet. 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, UPS may make additional purchases of the electric vehicle.
Carlton Rose, president, global fleet maintenance and engineering, UPS, said: “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.”
Dakota Semler, co-founder and CEO of Thor Trucks, added: “We’re excited about working with a forward-thinking company like UPS, particularly as our first collaboration. UPS is committed to sustainability and operates one of the most complex fleets in the country. This is also an incredibly valuable opportunity to gain insight into what it will take to fulfil our mission of getting entire electric fleets on the road.”
UPS continues to work with several manufacturers including Arrival, Daimler, Tesla, Thor, and Workhorse to test and deploy promising alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles that will help meet its sustainability goals. Using its ‘Rolling Laboratory’ approach, UPS deploys about 9,300 low-emission vehicles to determine which technology works best in each route configuration. This includes all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane.
