FedEx is transitioning 172 linehaul trucks from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) at three UK sites, with the aim of reducing emissions by at least 80%.
All the tractor-trailer trucks at FedEx’s locations in Parkhouse, Marston Gate and Atherstone will refuel with HVO as part of a two-year agreement with supplier Crown Oil for the purchase of at least four million liters of the fuel annually.
Carbon-neural by 2040
“FedEx operates an expansive road network across the region. We’re excited to share that the UK is the first country where we’re able to scale the use of HVO in our operations, in what we hope will be a permanent operational change,” said James Richards, senior manager road network operations UK, FedEx. “We’ve been trialling our use of this fuel for eight months already and with this purchase agreement we’re increasing our consumption sufficiently for our fleet to drive approximately 36,000 miles each week on alternative fuel. This decision is another step toward our long-term goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040.”
FedEx Express began using 100% HVO fuel as a direct replacement, or ‘drop-in’ alternative, to diesel, in UK operations in October 2023. This earlier trial, along with a similar pilot in the Netherlands, enabled FedEx to evaluate the practicalities of refueling with alternative fuels and highlighted HVO as a preferred route to help FedEx transition from diesel to biofuels in its European road network.
Diesel replacement on the ground
As well as helping to reduce the emissions of linehaul trucks, HVO can also be used in place of diesel in select pieces of ground service equipment. Under this agreement, 16 tugs – used at the same three sites to reposition accompanying trailers – will begin routine use of HVO as a drop-in fuel. While some pieces of ground service equipment are already commonly procured as battery electric, HVO offers favorable alternative to diesel where electrification of certain ground service equipment may not yet be practical.