As the holiday cheer fills the air, Electrada, a pioneering force in fleet electrification solutions, sounds a clarion call regarding the environmental impact of middle- and last-mile delivery vehicles during this festive period. Startling projections unveil that these vehicles are poised to emit a staggering estimated 32 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), a volume equivalent to filling seven million Olympic-sized swimming pools, illuminating a pressing environmental concern.
From the bustling shopping frenzy of Black Friday through to the culmination of Christmas Eve, a fleet of over 6.8 million Class 3-8 vehicles, spanning a spectrum from vans to long-haul tractor-trailers, will crisscross America’s extensive roadways. This extensive movement is anticipated to result in a collective daily CO2 emission tally of approximately 1,010,956 metric tons, culminating in an alarming 31,339,636 metric tons over the 31-day holiday delivery period.
A sobering report from MIT underscores the gravity of this impact, highlighting that a mere 16 metric tons of CO2 could fill more than three and a half Olympic-sized pools, as stated by the MIT Climate Portal.
Kevin Kushman, CEO of Electrada, sheds light on this concerning scenario, dispelling the notion that holiday gifts arrive in a carbon-neutral fashion courtesy of Santa and his reindeer. Kevin Kushman advocates for a feasible solution that could significantly curtail emissions by the forthcoming year, emphasizing the pivotal role major delivery companies — such as Amazon, UPS, and FedEx — could play in expediting their transition to electric vehicles and accelerating their fleet electrification programs.
Kevin Kushman emphasizes that the incentives, strategies, and technologies required to effect this transformation exist, rendering it an affordable, risk-mitigated, and pragmatic pathway towards embracing clean transportation.
This data, meticulously sourced from IHS Markit, is derived from the average daily miles covered by vehicles within each class, further underscoring the urgency and magnitude of this environmental challenge.