UPS has recently unveiled some really cute cartoon trucks. The new fleet of trucks has around 35 lightweight trucks and have a rounded retro-futuristic look which can be compared to the animation studio, Pixar’s animated vehicles. UPS said that they are working with the vehicle manufacturer ARRIVAL for the electric trucks fleets. They will have a range of 150 miles on a single charge. The trucks will be tested by UPS in Paris and London by the end of the year.
The high tech trucks have a ‘highly advanced vehicle display’ and a wrap-around windshield which gives the drivers a very wide view of the road. The Embedded Advanced Driver Assistance System aims to reduce driver fatigue. Luke Wake, international director for automotive engineering in the advanced technology group at UPS said, “UPS is working with ARRIVAL here in the UK because their smart electric vehicles are helping to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. This is a pioneering collaboration that helps UPS develop new ways to reduce our emissions. UPS is marshaling its global scale to encourage innovation within the automotive industry. We are helping to drive demand for these disruptive technologies. The result is a safer and cleaner fleet for the communities in which we deliver.”
UPS has collaborated with ARRIVAL since 2016 and the trucks have gone through several changes and design developments before getting its final shape. CEO of ARRIVAL, Denis Sverdlov, said, “We’re excited to collaborate with UPS to create an affordable, modular, fully electric delivery vehicle designed to make deliveries in our busy cities clean and quiet. With its unique, wrap-around front window the driver has a much wider field of view that improves not only the safety of the driver but also that of cyclists and pedestrians.” UPS has prioritized electromobility and currently has more than 9000 vehicles all over the world which are using alternative propulsion methods. The company claims that they have one of the largest private and most diverse alternative fuel and advanced technology fleets in the entire logistics industry.
Peter Harris, director for sustainability at UPS said, “This initiative will help UPS attain its global carbon reduction goals for the company’s facilities and fleets. We will continue working with our partners, communities, and customers to spark innovation, thus leading the industry toward a more sustainable future.” Relationship of UPS with electric vehicles started in 1930 and has continued until today. The company already has 300 vehicles deployed in Europe and US and has 700 hybrid electric vehicles. UPS is also among those clients who signed to the Tesla Semi. They ordered 125 trucks from Tesla and has made the largest pre-order so far.