Electric Trucks Deliver Coca-Cola in Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO, United States — Coca-Cola subsidiary Montevideo Refrescos SRL is using electric trucks to deliver shipments in Montevideo's urban areas.

The company has received 30 Xebra electric trucks, created by California-based vehicle manufacturer Zap, that it will use to complete deliveries normally made by larger trucks in Uruguay's capital.

Montevideo Refrescos SRL is using the vehicles as part of a new distribution method, in which large trucks will deliver beverages at strategically-placed hubs. The smaller Xebras, which are designed to navigate congested areas and take up less parking space, will complete the shipments. Xebras drivers will also collect payments, which was not practical for delivery truck drivers to do.

Officials from the companies estimate the new distribution plan will use about one-fifth of the fuel previously used.

The project is also testing new motors for the Xebras, which are currently advertised as being able to go up to 40 mph and have a range of 25 miles per charge.

The Coca-Cola Company itself operates a fleet of about 200,000 diesel vehicles, and has started using diesel-electric hybrid trucks in some markets, following a two-year test of the vehicles by bottler/distributor Coca-Cola Enterprises. The pilot program showed that using the hybrids provided a 32 percent improvement in fuel economy.

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Electric Trucks Deliver Coca-Cola in Uruguay