Coca-Cola Partners with XL Hybrids to Expand Hybrid Fleet

12 Dec 2013 --- Coca-Cola’s familiar service vans are getting a makeover just in time for the New Year. Coca-Cola is converting all of its newly purchased 2014 Chevrolet Express service vans into fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles using XL Hybrids’ innovative powertrain technology. The updated vans will be traversing roads across the country by year’s end.

Coca-Cola currently operates the largest heavy-duty hybrid-electric delivery fleet in North America. The addition of 100 hybrid service vans builds upon this work by expanding the variety of fuel-efficient options in the Company’s light-duty fleet.

“Adoption of this hybrid technology supports Coca-Cola’s goal to reduce the carbon footprint embedded in ‘the drink in your hand’ by 25 percent by 2020,” said Bruce Karas, Vice President of Environment and Sustainability for Coca-Cola. “We continue to make energy-saving investments because they are good for business, good for the communities we serve and good for the planet.”

Early test results of this hybrid technology were positive, showing a 15 to 20 percent fuel reduction compared to the Company’s conventional vans. The 100 new hybrid vans are expected to eliminate about 4,000 total tons of carbon dioxide emissions that conventional vans would produce over their 10-year life span.

As a result of the low maintenance and fuel savings, the powertrain unit pays for itself three times over its life span.

“XL Hybrids provides technology that helps Coca-Cola meet its emissions reduction goals while saving money,” said Justin Ashton, Vice President of Business Development and Co-founder at XL Hybrids. “Our company’s goal is to accelerate fuel and emissions reductions at a large scale. To accomplish this, we had to design and commercialize technology that provides a solid economic return on investment to corporate customers.”

In addition to the hybrid service vans, Coca-Cola recently announced the roll out of 16 first-of-its-kind refrigerated plug-in electric vehicles. These trucks deliver the Company’s Odwalla brand beverages in the San Francisco Bay Area. Coca-Cola is also making carbon footprint reductions across its manufacturing processes, packaging and refrigeration equipment.