Driving from the Klang Valley to Singapore is a journey that is ‘no big deal’. With the North-South Expressway providing smooth passage (except during festive seasons), it takes just a few hours to complete the journey with most vehicles.
However, when it come to electric vehicles, there may some ‘range anxiety’ whether there will be enough electricity in the battery pack to cover the 400 kms up to the southern border crossing. Actually, the newer EV models like the BMW iX and BYD Seal have claimed ranges of 500 – 600 kms on a fully-charged battery pack so it should be possible.
Nevertheless, for those who want to play it safe, there are now charging stations along the highway so you can ‘top up’ the battery pack if you are not confident of the claims. It may entail stopping for a while but it’s also a good time for a break during the journey to get a coffee or snack.
That it is now possible to drive an EV long distances has encouraged FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. to try out making cross-border deliveries with an EV. This is not just to save on fuel but is part of the company’s ongoing exploration of ways to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainable logistics. After all, its vehicles are constantly on the move and with a large fleet, the emissions are considerable.
Pilot run with Maxus EV
The pilot run, which is being assessed for future operations, is with a Maxus eDeliver 7 from China’s SAIC. The total distance to cover from Shah Alam in Selangor to Changi Airport on the eastern side of Singapore is 406 kms. Compared to a diesel-powered van doing the same run, FedEx estimates the reduction of tailpipe CO2 emissions to be approximately 100 kgs.
“Our efforts to reduce emissions throughout our business means we need to think strategically about all of our ground operations, not just last-mile delivery,” said Kawal Preet, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region at FedEx. “This cross-border trial is a proof of concept that will help inform and advance our fleet electrification program in the region, in line with our customers’ desire for sustainable time-definite delivery.”
Zero-emission fleet by 2040
The trial marks an important milestone for FedEx, as the company works towards its goal to transform its entire global pickup and delivery fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles by 2040 through a phased approach. In May 2023, FedEx added two EVs to its fleet in Malaysia for parcel pick-up and delivery operations within the Klang Valley.
The company also recently launched a cloud-based carbon emissions reporting tool (FedEx Sustainability Insights), giving customers in Malaysia access to historical emissions information on their shipments within the FedEx network. FedEx customers can use the data to make informed decisions on their future shipping strategy to reduce their impact to the environment.
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