Coca-Cola currently operates the largest heavy-duty hybrid-electric delivery fleet in North America. The addition of 100 hybrid service vans builds upon this work by expanding the variety of fuel-efficient options in the Company’s light-duty fleet.
Early test results of this hybrid technology were positive, showing a 15 to 20 percent fuel reduction compared to the Company’s conventional vans. The 100 new hybrid vans are expected to eliminate about 4,000 total tons of carbon dioxide emissions that conventional vans would produce over their 10-year life span.
As a result of the low maintenance and fuel savings, the powertrain unit pays for itself three times over its life span.
“XL Hybrids provides technology that helps Coca-Cola meet its emissions reduction goals while saving money,” said Justin Ashton, Vice President of Business Development and Co-founder at XL Hybrids. “Our company’s goal is to accelerate fuel and emissions reductions at a large scale. To accomplish this, we had to design and commercialize technology that provides a solid economic return on investment to corporate customers.”
In addition to the hybrid service vans, Coca-Cola recently announced the roll out of 16 first-of-its-kind refrigerated plug-in electric vehicles. These trucks deliver the Company’s Odwalla® brand beverages in the San Francisco Bay Area. Coca-Cola is also making carbon footprint reductions across its manufacturing processes, packaging and refrigeration equipment.