FedEx Freight has placed a reservation for 20 fully electric Tesla Semi trucks to be deployed within its less-than-truckload unit. The state-of-the-art vehicles from Tesla, which were unveiled in November 2017, are scheduled to begin production in 2019.
Mike Ducker, president and CEO, FedEx Freight, said, “FedEx has a long history of innovation and incorporating sustainability efforts throughout its global network. Our investment in these trucks is part of our commitment to improving road safety while also reducing our environmental impact.”
Tesla claims its Semi rig will deliver a far better experience for truck drivers, while increasing safety and reducing the cost of cargo transport. Its advanced technologies, including 360° cameras and onboard sensors, help to aid object detection while also enabling Enhanced Autopilot for automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning. The cost of using electric energy is also said to be half that of diesel counterparts.
P2P acquisition
In the UK, FedEx announced the £92m (US$129m) acquisition of P2P Mailing, a provider of worldwide e-commerce transportation solutions. P2P’s capabilities complement and expand FedEx’s portfolio of offerings for the global e-commerce marketplace.
P2P provides customers with unique last-mile delivery options, leveraging its relationships with private, postal, retail and clearance providers in more than 200 countries. Its industry-leading technology and processes provide plug-and-play options with carrier networks and customer systems.
P2P is headquartered in Laindon, UK, and will operate as a subsidiary of FedEx Cross Border within the FedEx Trade Networks operating company.
Carl W Asmus, president and CEO, FedEx Cross Border, said, “Global e-commerce continues to grow at a rapid pace, and more and more merchants, marketplaces, e-commerce and social platforms are looking for innovative, cost-effective ways to get merchandise from distribution points in one country to customers in another. By adding P2P to the FedEx portfolio, we will be able to effectively serve even more elements of the e-commerce market.”
Richard W Smith, president and CEO, FedEx Trade Networks, said, “This acquisition is a further step in achieving the global mission of the FedEx Trade Networks group to provide specialized solutions to customers. We are pleased to welcome the P2P team members into the FedEx family of companies and look forward to combining the talents of both teams to contribute to our continued success.”
April 3, 2018