FedEx orders 120 electric trucks from Xos
FedEx has ordered 120 electric trucks from Xos. These are to be deployed in California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Texas and delivered in the fourth quarter of 2021 and 2022.
The California-based electric commercial vehicle manufacturer Xos operated as Thor Trucks until 2019. The company unveiled a prototype electric truck in late 2017 and, in August 2018, was contracted by UPS to develop an electric delivery truck.
However, FedEx did not order the production version of the semi-trailer truck prototype unveiled in 2017 but instead ordered the electric delivery truck. The vehicles are to go to 35 FedEx station operators in the aforementioned five US states. The company has said that discussions are already underway for additional deliveries in 2022 and 2023 for other “FedEx Ground operators in these and other states.”
Xos has not yet provided a great deal of detail on the technical specifications of the electric delivery truck. According to the company’s website, the so-called “X-Platform 1” enables modularly adapted vehicles – for example, in terms of wheelbase and battery. Two battery packs of 30 kWh each are integrated into the ladder frame between the axles, which should provide a range of 100 miles or about 160 kilometres. Optionally, two more battery packs can be mounted on the outside of the ladder frame, doubling the capacity to 120 kWh and the range to 200 miles (320 kilometres). The company has not said which version FedEx has chosen.
“We are delighted to provide our FedEx Ground customers with our best-in-class electric trucks. We look forward to continuing to support them in meeting their site infrastructure and charging needs at vehicle depots in addition to offering Fleet-as-a-Service and financing alternatives to streamline their purchasing, maintenance, and operating experience,” said Gio Sordoni, Xos’ Co-Founder and COO.
FedEx announced in March this year that it plans to procure 50 per cent all-electric delivery vehicles starting in 2025, with only electric delivery trucks purchased starting in 2030. FedEx will be conducting this transition with the vehicles from several different manufacturers: the US logistics company is also the launch customer for the EV600, the first electric delivery truck from GM’s new Brightdrop brand, among other electric vehicles from General Motors.
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