Since the first moment I laid eyes on it, I've thought the Modec electric truck was a thing of beauty. A little more aerodynamic than its freight hauling frères and a whole lot more quiet. Need I mention the lack of diesel smoke? I thought not. After reading all the specs and mulling it over for about 10 seconds it occurred to me that this vehicle would look great in UPS brown. Sure enough, it does.

According to BigLorryBlog, the company has begun putting the Modec (they really do need a catchy model name) through its paces within the London Low Emission Zone. So what does UPS think about this big brown truck? "The quiet, carbon-neutral vehicle is the first of its kind to effectively harness the power of modern, high energy batteries to meet the medium range, high performance requirements of hard working, urban delivery vehicles." I think, as with Tesco, they like it, they like it!

[Source: BigLorryBlog via TNN via Green Car Congress]

Utilmaster, the company that makes the trucks that deliver your packages, uniforms and potato chips, has taken note of the price its customers are paying for gas and is following up on a memorandum of understanding it struck last August with hybrid power train developer Azure Dynamics. Yes, pen has been put to paper and a supply contract has been signed. Scott Harrison, Azure's Chief Executive Officer, said in a press release issued by the company, that since the announcement of the original memorandum, "significant progress has been made by both parties to reach production readiness." Or, in other words, each of the involved party's aqua-loving fowl have been nudged and prodded into a linear column. Now, let the hybrid building begin!

At its plant in Wakarusa, Indiana, Utilmaster will integrate chocolate Ford E-Series commercial chassis with Azures peanut butter P1 hybrid electric power trains resulting in yummy goodness more efficient, cleaner vehicles that will help us all breath a little easier and also save the end user a huge fuel bill. Details of the exact numbers of vehicles has not yet been disclosed but let's hope it's a lot since these commercial fleet vehicles are responsible for a large portion of pollution in our cities.

Press release from Azure Dynamics after the jump.

Related

• Florida Power and Light to test Azure Dynamics hybrid shuttle
• Azure Dynamics series hybrid bus completes US government tests
• Azure Dynamics sending another Ford E-450 hybrid to a "major" company fleet

We all hate high gas prices, and if you are reading this site, you probably also hate spewing excess amounts of emissions into the air. However, for the most part our habits have changed little. Take a look at this:

Yet according to the Department for Transport's most recent National Travel Survey, our love affair with the traditional four or five seat four-wheeler shows no sign of waning: though nearly four-fifths of all trips of less than one mile are carried out on foot, the car still remains the most common mode of transport for all trips over a mile. More worryingly, nearly a quarter of all these trips are of less than two miles in length.

This paragraph applies to Britain, but the same could likely be said of most any country. It is nice to know, though, that many motorists are choosing scooters as an option to replace some of those short-distance trips, and it's easy to see why a scooter with some storage space might make that an even easier transition. Enter TGP of Taiwan. Their scooters offer a trunk, originally designed for delivery services. With the extra storage, quick trips to the grocery store or to the office can be completed completely car-free.

[Source: TGB]

Smith EV, which makes delivery vans and trucks in the UK and Europe, has finally announced its plans for the US: Up to 10,000 EV trucks will be built in a facility that "could be sited anywhere in North America, would require up to a 300 acre site, including a 500,000sq ft assembly facility, test track and space for rolling stock. It would create at least 500 jobs."

Smith already has a small plant in Fresno, CA, which can produce 1,000 EV trucks per year, as well as another factory in the UK with an output of 1,500 vehicles. Smith EV plans a new facility in the UK for European customers.

Smith makes a range of highway-capable EVs, from 7,000lbs vans to 25,000lbs trucks. With a top speed of 50mph, and a range on one lithium-ion battery charge of up to 150 miles. The company claims they are suitable for deployment in urban delivery applications.

(Editor's note: stay tuned for an interview with Smith EV direct from EVS23 in Anaheim)

Related:

• TNT courier company buys two Smith EV trucks for Rotterdam delivery
• Smith Electric Vehicles, Enova partner up for zero-emission van, truck

[Source: Smith EV]