UPS has revealed sleek new electric trucks that look like they’ve rolled straight out of Pixar’s Cars series. The company revealed it’s working with vehicle manufacturer Arrival on a pilot fleet of 35 lightweight electric trucks that look far more futuristic than the standard boxy vehicles.
UPS says the trucks have a longer range than other delivery vehicles, reaching around 150 miles on a single charge. As with all electric vehicles, they have zero emissions.
The trucks, which UPS will test in Paris and London, have what the company describes as a “highly advanced vehicle display,” along with additional safety features. Those include a wrap-around windshield that gives the driver a wider field of view (handy to spot any cyclists zipping by) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, which aim to lower driver fatigue.
UPS and Arrival have worked together on electric trucks since 2016, and this initial fleet should be on the roads before the end of the year. These trucks will add to UPS’s armada of more than 300 electric vehicles and almost 700 hybrid vehicles across the US and Europe.
The company has invested $750 million into alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles since 2009. In February, UPS said it is adding 50 electric trucks it co-designed with Workhorse Group Inc. to its US fleet, for around the same cost as conventionally fueled trucks. It has also ordered 125 of Tesla’s semi-trucks.
The futuristic safety reason behind why UPS electric trucks are so adorable
US delivery service UPS announced this week that it partnered with UK-based technology company Arrival to roll out a “pilot fleet” of 35 new electric trucks. But what has captured many people’s attention isn’t the new technology—it’s how cute the trucks look.
But the adorable design isn’t just about a more futuristic and palatable aesthetic—it’s a safety feature. The curved edges give truck drivers a wider field of vision that allows them to have better awareness of cyclists and pedestrians. This is part of the Arrival’s focus on equipping the new vehicle with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that improve safety and reduce driver fatigue.
Beyond the external design, the new UPS electric trucks, which are being tried in London and Paris, are lightweight vehicles that have a zero tailpipe emission, and a battery range of more than 150 miles (240 kilometers).
While this fleet of trucks is new, UPS’ involvement in electric vehicles isn’t. Over the past decade, UPS has invested over $750 million in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. It has more than 300 electric vehicles and 700 hybrid electric vehicles deployed in Europe and the US and has ordered 125 new fully-electric semi-tractors to be built by Tesla in 2019.
Feast Your Eyes on the Cute Electric UPS Trucks of the Future
will soon have the cutest logistics truck on the road.
The company on Wednesday announced a partnership UK-based technology company Arrival to develop what it calls a “pilot fleet” of 35 electric trucks. The electric UPS trucks have zero tailpipe emissions and a range of 150 miles on a single charge. They’ll also come with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that, UPS says, will ultimately identify and address driver fatigue to improve safety on the roads.
But perhaps the most important feature in the electric trucks is their design. Gone are the days of boxy, ugly UPS trucks. The new electric UPS trucks are still in the familiar UPS brown color and have the company’s logo on the side, but have soft curves all around. The trucks have a flat front and big, tinted windows that could improve the driver’s ability to see traffic and obstacles on the road. And, as I said earlier, the new UPS trucks are downright cute.
In a statement on Wednesday, UPS said that using electric vehicles and other green technologies is a priority for the company as it looks ahead. UPS currently has more than 9,000 vehicles on roads around the world and moving to electric vehicles could dramatically reduce its carbon footprint.
To be clear, these wouldn’t be the first electric vehicles in the UPS fleet. The company currently has more than 300 electric vehicles in Europe and the U.S., as well as 700 hybrids.
UPS said in its statement that Arrival has been working with the company since 2016 to develop vehicle prototypes. The company credited Arrival with being the first European car manufacturer to build a truck to its spec.
The UPS-Arrival pilot program will kick off with 35 electric delivery vehicles cruising streets across London and Paris. UPS hopes to have the first trucks on the road by the end of this year.
- This article originally appeared on Engadget.
