1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

FedEx CEO: "Addiction" to Foreign Oil is Costing the Economy, American Lives

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by cwerdna, May 21, 2011.

  1. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    DailyTech - FedEx CEO: "Addiction" to Foreign Oil is Costing the Economy, American Lives
    FedEx CEO's statements are preaching to the choir. I really wish dumb American monstrosity class truck and SUV buyers (who don't actually need them) would get a clue and get at least part of his message into their heads.

    As usual, I still see too many of the above ilk on the road, being driven solo and/or w/minimal passengers or cargo. Yesterday, I couldn't believe I was behind someone who had bought a used Tahoe (driven solo, of course) which had temp tags.
     
  2. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2008
    11,627
    2,530
    8
    Location:
    Southwest Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    If I was going to buy a Tahoe, now would be a good time.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,912
    49,492
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i can't argue with much of what he said, but if he feels that strongly, he should do more with his own fleet at least to put his money where his mouth is. what does he drive? i must have missed it.
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    wow like duh. any centralized delivery system can easily shift its major transportation options to electric.

    the fedex facility in Lacey is a regional hubs and will require very large trucks to fill it, but from there, much smaller trucks radiate outwards in a predictable daily driving pattern that in most cases is EASILY within current EV technology and battery capacity range.

    they leave the facility fully charged and come home to plug in at night into a grid that currently uses less than 30% of its hydroelectric capacity at night.

    a study in 2007 stated that our grid could easily charge 1.5 million EVs every night and still have extra capacity. a networked L2 charging setup (nearly all L2's are networked now) coordinating directly with the power grid and each other can insure that each vehicle is charged by morning since average charge time is 7 hours but average available time to charge is more than 12 hours.

    ya, we need electric.

    My Nissan Leaf Forum • Better Place

    My Nissan Leaf Forum • Walk the Walk
     
  5. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    924
    123
    11
    Location:
    GA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    N/A
  6. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    2,287
    460
    0
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well, they could, but it'd be much more expensive. Delivery trucks do their shifts without returning to base and cover a lot of miles.

    So, unless he gets the subsidies he was begging for, the large-scale transition is not going to happen soon. However, when battery technology, electricity and fuel prices hit a sweet spot (and it will happen at some point) delivery companies will be ready for it and will switch to EV fast.
     
  7. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2011
    2,171
    659
    23
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well if he is serious about those lost lives, and lost economy, that point should happen a lot sooner, probably already.
     
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    cant wait. they need to switch now. if they continue to wait, they will lose out of too much revenue. due to Fedex rate hikes, my company has gone from 100% free 2 day air from fedex to 5 day ground USPS.

    the slower shipping option is now the standard for about 50% of our shipping needs with the option to pay for faster shipping options. i do see a time where that percentage will go up.
     
  9. evnow

    evnow Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2010
    816
    155
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    N/A
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,912
    49,492
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    they're still driving stinky diesels in my neighborhood. same with ups and usps is all gas. and they all gun the $#@* out of it after every stop. peew.
     
  11. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    i live (until June) in what is labeled as high density single family housing. zoned 8-10 per acre. we have no yards but ring several parks on horseshoe shaped streets that radiate out like spokes on a wheel. Fedex ground comes here. parks and then a guy gets out his bike and delivers packages by bike.
     
  12. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    To ask the question - is Prius viable or does it make sense would be ridiculous. Unless there are some materials that make it very difficult to manufacter, current Prius absolutely makes sense.

    I'm finding 3rd gen Pri to handily beat the EPA estimate every time I rent the car. Might be different owning and doing lots of short trips to grocery, etc...

    Look at DaveinOLY's stat of 'if my Prius were a Leaf it would cost $15 to fillup instead of $40' ....

    that indicates Leaf is incredibly efficient.

    Vehicle electrification I believe is the best thing to do now.

    www.evsae.org
     
  13. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    another thing that is not as apparent is that the Leaf allows the Prius to be driven only on longer trips. right now more than 96% of short, in town trips are driven in the Leaf. the only exceptions are when two vehicles were required.

    this also helps to boost the Prius mileage as well, so the real savings are actually more than that
     
    1 person likes this.
  14. sevlillevik

    sevlillevik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2010
    44
    0
    2
    Location:
    Puyallup, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I have calculated the gas mileage on the FedEx truck that I drive for work in Seattle. It gets about 11 mpg usually. As many people say the exhaust is pretty dirty. They need to have way more EV's for delivery trucks. Though I would miss the traditional high clearance in those trucks.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,912
    49,492
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    that is sweet! we live in the country on a cut thru and i see these guys go back and forth 10 times a day. i'm sure there is a reason, but it seems to be a pretty uncoordinated delivery route. not usps, they have a route and stick to it. but they're hitting every house every day.
     
  16. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    924
    123
    11
    Location:
    GA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    N/A
  17. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,885
    8,187
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2018 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    Premium
    According to our Auto Industry it's ALWAYS a good time. :confused: Chrysler has a SUV radio ad running in our area regarding "real SUV's" ... not to be confused with those, "sheep in wolf's clothing" wana be SUV's. soooo . . . how low does the mpg have to be in order to be "real". Same logic for contractor vehicles ... deliverys ... etc. At work, tge big ol Sparkletts water delivery truck used to come in and just sit there idling while the guy offloaded for 30 or 40 minutes. Now? They're using hybrid trucks ... and our two companies are LOVING it. We don't gag on fumes, and they save a boat load on fuel.
     
    1 person likes this.
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,912
    49,492
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    that's sweet. it's better in california me thinks. i like the chrysler hemi commercials. not. i wish they would just close up shop and be done with it.
     
  19. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    2,641
    264
    0
    Location:
    Western NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Only 1.5 M ? that's disappointing with many magnitudes more vehicles on the road. However, we all know that even a higher prevalence of hybrid would slash oil use.
    Also an ad in the paper about the new fuel efficient Durango. Go check its numbers on fueleconomy.gov. Sad, really. These things are dinosaurs, it's just sad to see them still being created and released in a $4/gallon market, must make the lot managers cry when they see them offloaded on their lot and then having to sell it.
     
  20. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2011
    2,171
    659
    23
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well that is 1.5 million at basically NO COST (i.e out of electricity which isn't used). After that, costs for electricity would need to be offset by savings of oil, and capacity increased in proportion.