14 DAY TRIAL // Coca-Cola has announced that the 2014 Chevrolet Express service vans it has recently purchased are undergoing a green makeover, and that, by the end of the year, all will have become hybrid vehicles.
Thus, the eco-friendly service vans are expected to hit roads in time for the New Year.
In order to make its 100 2014 Chevrolet Express service vans run on both fuel and electricity, Coca Cola is to make use of XL Hybrids' powertrain technology, Business Wire reports.
Once the 100 service vans are converted into hybrids, the company expects that their fuel consumption will be reduced by about 15-20% when compared to run-off-the-mill vans that Coca Cola also uses.
Over a period of 10 years, this drop in the vans' fuel needs is estimated to translate into about 4,000 less tons of carbon dioxide emissions being released into the planet's atmosphere.
What's more, Coca Cola says that XL Hybrids' powertrain technology will pay for itself in just three years. Thus, the reduced fuel consumption is expected to also yield significant benefits financially-wise.
“Our company’s goal is to accelerate fuel and emissions reductions at a large scale. To accomplish this, we had to design and commercialize technology that provides a solid economic return on investment to corporate customers,” says the current Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder at XL Hybrids, Justin Ashton.
“Adoption of this hybrid technology supports Coca-Cola’s goal to reduce the carbon footprint embedded in 'the drink in your hand' by 25 percent by 2020. We continue to make energy-saving investments because they are good for business, good for the communities we serve and good for the planet,” adds the Vice President of Environment and Sustainability for Coca-Cola, Bruce Karas.
Apart from investing in greening up its fleet, Coca Cola is making efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing processes, its packaging operations and its refrigeration equipment.