MIAMI, October 31, 2013 — FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the largest express transportation company in the world, will introduce the first electric vehicles (EVs) to its Latin American fleet early next year. Brazil will be the first country to add electric vehicles to its local fleet in January 2014. With a cargo capacity of up to 1,433 pounds (650 kilos) and the ability to cover approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) on one charge, the models will be in service in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
FedEx collaborated with Renault on this initiative, which is part of the FedEx commitment to make its worldwide operations greener. FedEx is a global leader in the deployment of electric vehicle technology for package pick-up and delivery in urban areas. The Brazilian operation is the seventh in the world to receive this type of vehicle.
The introduction of electric vehicles to the Brazilian operation is part of the FedEx global sustainability platform, EarthSmart, which guides the company’s commitment to the environment and to the communities in which it operates. The program is also an incentive for continuous innovation to make businesses and the world more sustainable. Another EarthSmart initiative implemented in the Latin American region since 2012 is the use of carbon neutral envelopes made of 100 percent recycled paper.
“This is a milestone for the Latin American region, and we are excited to provide this type of vehicle to Brazil as part of our efforts to find cleaner, more efficient transportation solutions,” said Juan N. Cento, regional president, FedEx Express Latin America and the Caribbean division. “We hope to be a catalyst in motivating other companies in the region to develop sustainability programs, as environmental responsibility is such an important part of doing business.”
The Global EV Fleet
Today, FedEx has 161 electric vehicles and 365 hybrid-electric vehicles in service in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and China. By the end of this fiscal year (May 2014), the company will have increased this number to 222 and 393, respectively. Last March, for instance, it announced that 10 all-electric vehicles would begin providing service in the streets of Hong Kong. From 2005 to 2012, the introduction of these types of vehicles to the fleet has helped the company save 528,000 gallons (approximately 2,400,000 liters) of fuel.
Initiatives such as matching the right vehicle to the right fleet, buying vehicles with the right sized engines, and incorporating light vehicles into the fleet have helped FedEx quickly progress toward its energy efficiency goals for its fleet, and have even led the company to revise its initial energy efficiency goal from 20 percent to 30 percent improvement by 2020.
About the Kangoo Maxi Z.E.: working without harming the environment
The Renault Kangoo Z.E. is the first 100 percent all-electric van available in the market with zero CO2 emissions.
This environmentally-friendly version of the van maintains the same functional features of a model powered by an internal combustion engine with the same cargo capacity of 85 – 162 cubic feet (2.4 to 4.6 m³), the same payload of 1,433 pounds (650 kilos), and the same level of comfort. The model is also available in the Maxi version, with an additional length of 16 inches (40 centimeters) as a result of an increased distance between the axles. The van is 15 feet in length (4.6 meters). The Kangoo Z.E. runs quietly and offers smooth acceleration with a jolt-free ride thanks to its automatic transmission.
Manufactured at the MCA (Maubeuge Construction Automobile) plant in France, the all-electric van has been winning over European consumers. In fact, Renault recently reached a milestone of 10,000 licensed models. The brand is a top seller in the electric vehicle market, with 50 percent market share.
About Renault in Latin America
Renault is a multinational company with more than one century of history and operations in 118 countries, across five continents, with more than 122,000 employees worldwide. The company manufactures everything from small and mid-sized vehicles to vans.
The Renault Design Latin America (RDAL), located in São Paulo, is the brand’s first design studio in the Americas, which placed Brazil in the select group of countries chosen by Renault as a location for one of its creation centers in the area. Brazil is also home to a unit of Renault Technology Americas (RTA), housing 600 engineers among the 1,000 engineers based in other Latin American centers. Established in 2007, this center focuses on developing products geared towards the needs of Latin American consumers.