Delivery

UPS' gains on the emissions-reduction front may be more in the air than on the ground, but the massive shipping company does continue to make strides when it comes to reducing pollution with its vehicles. The company's sustainability report stated that UPS reduced its greenhouse-gas emissions by 2.1 percent last year, despite increased shipments. UPS airplanes reduced fuel-use by 1.3 percent as shipments rose 4.8 percent. Earlier this year, the shi

In California, "low rider" has long implied a gas-guzzling hot rod. Toyota is now making that term a little more utilitarian in Japan. Toyota, working with Hino Motors and Yamato Transport Co., is testing out a pair of all-electric delivery van that will be used for refrigerated trucking in Tokyo.

Less than five months after electric-vehicle maker Amp said it was switching from passenger-vehicle conversions to delivery-truck electric-vehicle production, the company earned a victory of sorts by getting approval to sell its trucks in the most populous US state.

Ahh, synergy.

FedEx will expand testing of the all-electric Nissan e-NV200 utility van to Japan's Yokohama region this month.

The production lines at the AM General Corp factory in Mishawaka, Indiana used to crank out the Hummer H2. Now they're set to produce a vehicle that may not quite have the same intimidation factor, but does have a high degree of practicality. In the process, about 300 workers could find new jobs.

You might figure that horse riding enthusiasts would be diametrically opposed to SUV drivers, but you'd be wrong. At least in the case of Zara Phillips. The British equestrian competitor has been a Land Rover brand ambassador for several years now, and was lucky enough to snub Victoria Bekham take delivery of the very first Range Rover Evoque this weekend.

Two of the largest parcel delivery fleets in the U.S. have been competing neck and neck in a race to become the greenest in the land. Both Federal Express (FedEx) and United Parcel Service (UPS) have delved into alternative energy vehicles for daily delivery use.

Since the first moment I laid eyes on it, I've thought the Modec electric truck was a thing of beauty. A little more aerodynamic than its freight hauling frères and a whole lot more quiet. Need I mention the lack of diesel smoke? I thought not. After reading all the specs and mulling it over for about 10 seconds it occurred to me that this vehicle would look great in UPS brown. Sure enough, it does.

Utilmaster, the company that makes the trucks that deliver your packages, uniforms and potato chips, has taken note of the price its customers are paying for gas and is following up on a memorandum of understanding it struck last August with hybrid power train developer Azure Dynamics. Yes, pen has been put to paper and a supply contract has been signed. Scott Harrison, Azure's Chief Executive Offic

Smith EV, which makes delivery vans and trucks in the UK and Europe, has finally announced its plans for the US: Up to 10,000 EV trucks will be built in a facility that "could be sited anywhere in North America, would require up to a 300 acre site, including a 500,000sq ft assembly facility, test track and space for rolling stock. It would create at least 500 jobs."

Fiat's new car-derived utility truck, the Fiorino Mk IV, has been revealed in all its Chiclet-colored glory. These small car-based working vehicles are just right for businesses that don't need the heft of the ubiquitous pickup-based cargo van here in the states, or larger Continental vehicles like the Sprinter. Horsepower will be around 75 whether buyers choose the 1.4 liter gasoline or 1.3 liter turbodiesel, plenty to haul all those tiny die-cast Eiffel towers down from port to the Champs &Eac