Coca Cola’s Hybrid Electric Truck Fleet
Some company’s talk about the future and some of them embrace it. Coca Cola announced on March 4, 2009 that they would increase their hybrid electric truck fleet by 185 vehicles. This brings the total number of hybrid electric trucks in the Coca Cola fleet to 327.
This is in line with the corporate strategy that Coca Cola has followed. They lead by example of being ecologically responsible and use sustainable practices. There are different areas of focus now employed by Coca Cola to make the company eco-friendly. This includes being environmentally conscious by conserving energy, a packaging/recycling program and being a good water steward.
Conserving energy is where the hybrid electric truck fleet comes into the picture. With 142 delivery vehicles that weigh 16.5 ton gross that have been switched to hybrid electric propulsion, the energy conservation is significant. Each hybrid truck produces a third less emissions and operates solely on electric power at speeds less than 30 mph. The hybrid system is developed and supplied by Eaton Corporation and uses a parallel hybrid system that utilizes both the electric and conventional engines to get the most fuel-efficiency out of them.
This idea was initiated back in 2001. After an extensive testing and evaluation period the fleet grew to 142 by 2008. Now up to 327 across the nation, this hybrid electric truck fleet is reducing emissions and setting an eco friendly corporate standard that should be followed by others.
Coca Cola was awarded the “Orion Energy Systems Environmental Stewardship Award” in early January of this year. I just hope more corporations will follow the example of Coca Cola and introduce a fleet of hybrid electric trucks of their own.
Thanks to Greenhybridelectricvehicle.com for the basis of this story.
Tags: coca cola, environmentally conscious, Hybrid Electric Truck, hybrid truck, sustainable
