American courier delivery service FedEx has recently announced that they will be expanding their fleet by adding 1,000 Chanje V8100 electric vans.
Chanje, a California-based electric vehicle startup backed by Hong Kong’s FDG Electric Vehicles, made their official debut late last year when they unveiled their first line of electric vans. Thanks to a $1 billion investment from FDG Electric Vehicles, the electric startup was able bring their vehicles to mass production. At the time, Chanje CEO Bryan Hansel stated:
“We have an opportunity to meaningfully overhaul the last mile industry and completely revolutionize how that facet of transportation impacts the environment. Medium duty electric trucks offer the biggest emissions saving potential of all vehicles because our products fit best where they are needed the most – in highly populated, dense urban centers where noise and air quality are a major concern.”
This past June, Chanje announced their partnership with American transport company Ryder as their “exclusive sales channel and service partner.”
FedEx has been using fully-electric vehicles as part of their fleet since 2009, and has recently announced that they intend to purchase 1,000 Chanje electric vans to operate commercial and residential pick-up and delivery services within the United States. According to FedEx, out of the 1,000 V8100 electric vans they will be receiving, 100 will be purchased directly from Chanje, while the remaining 900 will be leased from Ryder.
In regards to the recent announcement, Mitch Jackson, FedEx Chief Sustainability Officer, commented:
“FedEx continually seeks new ways to maximize operational efficiency, minimize impacts and find innovative solutions through the company’s Reduce, Replace, Revolutionize approach to sustainability. Our investment in these vehicles is part of our commitment to that approach of serving our customers and connecting the world responsibly and resourcefully.”
With a maximum cargo capacity of around 6,000 pounds, the Chanje V8100 electric van will be able to travel over 150 miles when fully charged. By incorporating the vans into their ever-growing fleet of electric vehicles, FedEx has the potential to save two thousand gallons of fuel while avoiding 20 tons of emissions per vehicle each year.
Source: FedEx
