GAFFNEY, S.C. — UPS has ordered 40 hydraulic hybrid walk-in vans from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.

The vehicles were built in partnership with Parker Hannifin Corp., and use hydraulic high-pressure to propel the vehicle with the engine off, reducing fuel consumption by up to 40%, the companies claim

The vehicles will be deployed in the Baltimore and Atlanta regions.

“We are excited about this technology and UPS’s decision to make it part of their fleet,” said Mike Stark, FCCC senior technical sales manager, national accounts. “In terms of fuel economy, range and performance, the HHV is ideal for challenging pick-up and delivery routes like those served by UPS. It supports the levels of productivity and profitability that fleets have come to expect from walk-in vans built on FCCC chassis.”

The HHG vehicles store energy in a hydraulic high-pressure accumulator and then use it to propel the vehicle using no fuel and creating no emissions. The system is recharged during continued stop-and-go operations.

The diesel engine engages only when the hydraulic pressure drops below the threshold needed to propel the vehicle. The hydraulic system also starts the vehicle, eliminating the need for a 12-volt starter. It can also control the steering and brakes so that the engine isn’t required to support those functions.

The UPS trucks are built on FCCC’s MT-55 chassis and have a GVWR of up to 27,000 lbs.

“There is virtually no difference in driver operation and no sacrifice to performance or to the other benefits of a walk-in van,” said Gordie Taylor, FCCC commercial chassis product manager. “With its maneuverability, interior cargo access, and safer, easier driver ingress and egress, the HHV has all the advantages of other FCCC walk-in vans, with the critical added advantages of increased fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact.”