(Credit: Reynolds)Reynolds American Inc. is transitioning its current 1,800+ vehicle trade and operations fleet to hybrid and electric models. The move toward electric fleets will replace aging vehicles on a rolling basis over the next three years, resulting in a projected annual 1000+ ton reduction in carbon emissions.
Reynolds is collaborating with Ford Pro to transition its current fleet to a mix of vehicle models, including the Escape SEL Hybrid, Explorer Limited Hybrid, Ford E-Transit, and Ford-150 Lightning. Included in the 1,800+ fleet are nearly 50 light-duty operations vehicles used across Reynolds' North Carolina and Tennessee facilities, which will be transitioned to a combination of hybrid and electric models as part of this initiative.
“By 2024, more than 95% of all industrial vehicles used in operations will be electric," said Bernd Meyer, EVP of Operations at Reynolds. "With these significant changes and investments over the next few years, we are currently on track to meet a fleet carbon emission reduction of 50% by 2025."
In 2022, approximately 650 hybrid and electric vehicles will replace internal combustible engine vehicles organization-wide.
Ford has partnered with many companies in the past year to deliver electric fleets. United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental company, has announced a new agreement with Ford Pro to purchase all-electric vehicles for its North American rental and company fleets. The agreement initially includes orders for 500 F-150 Lightning trucks and 30 E-Transit vans, with 120 trucks and all 30 vans to be delivered in 2022. The vehicles will be used by United Rentals customers on construction and industrial job-sites, and by the company’s sales, service, and delivery personnel.
Frito-Lay is implementing electric fleets at its operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to help reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Frito-Lay, which is based in Dallas-Fort Worth, says the E-Transit trucks will help reduce nearly 390 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The company says it is further decarbonizing its fleet nationwide through the use of renewable compressed natural gas and other zero emissions and near zero emissions vehicles. Ford says the daily range for the commercial vehicles in the US is 74 miles and the E-Transit has a targeted range of 126 miles.
