New York,NY,USA -Automotive Fleet-11 April 2011: -- DHL said it is taking the first step toward establishing a delivery fleet in New York City that is powered entirely by alternative fuels, in a move that it said will reduce emissions by at least 50%... The conversion from vehicles solely powered by petroleum fuels was announced March 31 by Frank Appel, chief executive officer of DHL parent Deutsche Post... The DHL fleet is scheduled to be in place by September, using 30 battery-powered electric vans and 50 hybrid trucks... Azure Dynamics is producing the electric vans and the hybrid trucks, whose total cost wasn’t disclosed. Ford Motor Co.’s E450 chassis are being used in combination with Azure’s hybrid and electric components, as DHL’s current E450 fleet is converted to hybrids... (Photo from automotive-fleet: DHL will be operating modified Transit Connect vans and E-450 delivery trucks)* Europe - EU plan to phase out 'conventionally fueled' cars by 2050. The Commission says Europe's transport system remains unsustainable.
Brussels,Belgium -Gizmag, by Tannith Cattermole -April 11, 2011: -- The European Commission has released a white paper detailing ambitious plans to transform Europe's transport infrastructure by 2050... The overall goal is to create a unified transport system capable of meeting the needs of the 500 million EU citizens... Without change, oil dependence of transport will remain around 90%, CO2 emissions from transport will remain one third higher than their 1990 level and congestion costs will increase by about 50% by 2050... The major goals set out in the "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area" are:
• Development of eco-driving requirements in future revisions of the driving license directives with reference to fuel-saving techniques
• Progressively allowing for European electronic tolling systems through a single service provider for the whole of Europe... For example, current international hauliers need 13 permits, tags and tolling contracts to drive on all European tolled roads
• Movement of more than 50% of road freight traveling more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) to rail or boat (30% by 2030)
• Creating a fully functioning multi-modal transport system removing bottlenecks and barriers in other parts of the network. For instance the Thalys high-speed train through France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands must currently adapt to seven different signaling systems
• At least 40% cut in EU CO2 emissions from maritime transport (if feasible 50%) by 2050. Europe (EU/EEA) has the world's largest shipping fleet, directly employing some 300 000 seafarers on board merchant vessels and another three million in related jobs
• An overall 60% cut in transport emissions by 2050
• Use of electric, hydrogen and hybrid technologies for long distance and inefficient "last-mile" freight transport, reducing air and noise emissions, allowing a greater portion of freight transport within the urban areas to take place at night, and easing road congestion during peak hours
• Creating a fair financial environment applying the "polluter pays" and "user pays" principle
The European Twowheel Retailers' Association welcomed the plans but were felt that the part two-wheelers could play in helping cut emissions had been underplayed... (Photo: A lorries protest in UK)
* Germany - Deutsche Post road tests 12 new Renault electric vehicles
Bonn, Germany -Transport Intelligence -11 Apr 2011: -- Deutsche Post DHL is road testing 12 new Renault Kangoo Z.E. electric vehicles for combined deliveries. As part of the "E-mobility in commuter traffic" pilot project, the vehicles will transport letters and small packages in the Rhine-Ruhr area until the end of 2011... By using these electric vehicles, Deutsche Post DHL and the car maker Renault are trialling the operational suitability of electric vehicles for commercial fleet operations... The Renault vehicles are powered by a fully electric drive train with Li-Ion batteries. The range of up to 160 km for a fully loaded vehicle is sufficient for use as a combined delivery vehicle. At the delivery centres in the Rhine-Ruhr area, charging stations have been installed where the batteries can be recharged overnight... (Image from dp-dhl: Renault kangoo ze)
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