UPS begins using Modec electric truck

[SVOboy]

Check it out: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008...sting-mod.html

UPS has begun testing a Modec electric van (earlier post) which will operate from its Camden facility within the London Low Emission Zone.

On a single charge, the Modec van offers a range of more than 100 miles and a top speed of 50 mph carrying a load of up to two tonnes. The 70kW motor (102hp) develops 300Nm of torque.

Modec started with twin parallel-wired 288-volt Zebra sodium-nickel-chloride battery packs, with a life span of around four years (1,000 full charging cycles.) Regenerative braking recharges the batteries in addition to grid charging, which takes 8 hours for a complete charge.

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For me this represents an important step for EVs. If they can start to make it through the heavy duty cycles of industrial use they'll weasel they're way into normal driving.

[igo]

This is good news. I don't think it will look too bad painted brown.

[H4MM3R]

Why not cover the roof with solar panels?

[DifferentPointofView]

^ yes why not? it won't recharge the battery in any reasonable time, but the amount of time these guys are on the road may help some. Might as well extend charge time as much as possible seeing that these guys travel a bunch.

By the looks of the thing I'd say that the guys at smart designed it (if I didn't have the info about modec ) Even solar panels on the side wouldn't hurt (except for the part of putting UPS on the side and painting it brown :\)

[SVOboy]

Prolly too damn expensive to use panels when the grid is so easy.

[DifferentPointofView]

Yea, Why does everything have to be too damn expensive!?

[Gone4]

This is great if the big companies can pump in millions of dollars to save a few pennies, the developments will get passed down to us. Already at all of the forward-thinking schools you can see safe ride and similar programs with hybrids just because the students are pushing green initiatives. It's only a matter of time before the mentality soaks into the rest of society now.

[Thalass]

This is great. I love that the battery pack can be swapped out to recharge out of the vehicle, while a freshly charged pack goes in so the vehicle can keep going. That's smart! Maybe not practical for a personal car, but for a commercial/industrial vehicle it's great.