Canada Post First Buyer Of Ford - Azure Electric Van
The Oak Park hybrid and electric truck powertrain developer Azure Dynamics (OTC: AZDDF) said Wednesday that it will deliver one of the first Ford Transit Connect electric commercial vans to Canada Post under the LEAD program.
Canada Post will receive one of the exclusive Ford Transit Connect Electric delivery vehicles by the end of this year and has committed to the purchase of nine more by end of 2011.
"Canada Post is the first Canadian company to sign on to this exclusive and innovative vehicle program aimed at providing environmental solutions to the commercial delivery market," said Scott Harrison, Azure CEO. "The transformative technology of the Transit Connect Electric reduces gasoline fuel costs to zero, produces no tailpipe emissions and is virtually silent as it travels through urban and suburban delivery routes. The progressive attitude of companies like Canada Post will contribute to making an important environmental impact."
The new van's electric drive performance attributes are well suited to fleets like Canada Post that have duty cycles characterized by predictable routes with frequent stop and go driving and high idle time.
"As one of the largest communications and logistics companies in Canada, we're proud to be among the first to implement a fully electric delivery vehicle on our roads," says Doug Jones, senior vice president of operations at Canada Post. "We expect that this new vehicle will bring us one step further along our path to reduce both our overall fuel emissions and our carbon footprint on the environment."
The Transit Connect Electric integrates Azure's Force Drive electric powertrain into Ford's dedicated global commercial van platform that received the 2010 North American Truck of the Year award. Its unique combination of car-like driving dynamics, cargo capacity, maneuverability, accessibility and low operating costs are characteristics that make the Transit Connect an ideal choice for electrification.
"At Ford, we are dedicated to delivering quality, safe and fuel efficient vehicles to Canadian businesses -- and the Ford Transit Connect delivers on all fronts," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "The Ford Transit Connect Electric represents a win-win for both the environment and for Canada Post -- it allows them to operate a more environmentally-friendly vehicle while helping to reduce their CO2 emissions as well as their need for gasoline."
The Ford Transit Connect Electric uses an advanced lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls-Saft to achieve a range of up to 130 km (80 miles) on a single charge and is rechargeable using either a 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlet. Commercial vans generally return to a central location at the end of each driving cycle making for easy overnight recharging.
For more information on how Azure Dynamics products are Driving a World of Difference, please visit www.azuredynamics.com.
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