Federal Express Corporation has announced a transition to biofuels for its linehaul trucks at three UK locations starting this month.The company plans to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in over 170 tractor-trailer combinations across its sites in Parkhouse (80 tractors), Marston Gate (54 tractors), and Atherstone (38 tractors). FedEx has entered a two-year agreement with Crown Oil to purchase at least four million litres of HVO annually.
FedEx reports that the switch to HVO is expected to result in lifecycle carbon emissions savings of at least 80% compared to diesel. The company began testing HVO fuel in UK operations in October 2023, along with a similar pilot in the Netherlands.
James Richards, Senior Manager Road Network Operations UK at FedEx, stated: “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.”
He continued: ”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 towards our long-term goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040.”
In addition to linehaul trucks, FedEx plans to use HVO in 16 tugs used for repositioning trailers at the same three sites. The company notes that while some ground service equipment is already electric, HVO offers an alternative to diesel where electrification may not be practical.
