Skip to main content

Zero emission delivery vehicle project begins in Houston

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) has teamed up with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) and Smith Electric Vehicles Corporation to reduce vehicle emissions from delivery trucks in the region. As part of a US Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored effort, local fleets will replace existing diesel delivery vehicles with thirty all-electric medium and heavy-duty Smith Newton trucks for daily operations in the Houston-Galveston area.
September 2, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) has teamed up with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) and 3822 Smith Electric Vehicles Corporation to reduce vehicle emissions from delivery trucks in the region.  As part of a US Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored effort, local fleets will replace existing diesel delivery vehicles with thirty all-electric medium and heavy-duty Smith Newton trucks for daily operations in the Houston-Galveston area.

The project is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of all-electric delivery vehicles to perform at the same level of operation as similarly-sized diesel delivery vehicles while significantly reducing emissions and petroleum use.  By deploying emission trucks for this program, H-GAC expects to reduce petroleum consumption by over 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel over the two-year demonstration period. The project will have additional impact with an expected reduction in GHG emissions by 37.5 million tons of carbon equivalents per year and an expected reduction in criteria pollutants of over 2,000 tons per year.

The Smith Newton trucks include the company’s proprietary Smith Power, with variable 40-120 kWh battery pack options; Smith Drive, and Smith Link, an onboard system for monitoring the vehicle’s vital statistics.  The vehicles that will be deployed under this grant are based on Smith’s latest production model Series 2000, which has been fully deployed in several locations across the country.

Each Smith Newton will be delivered with an electric vehicle charging station (EVSE).  Fully recharging the vehicle will take approximately 6 to 10 hours per night, depending on the size of the battery pack and the state of charge when the vehicle returns to the fleet depot.

The H-GAC zero emission truck project will serve as a pioneer for this innovative clean technology by helping fleets deploy all-electric delivery trucks that will improve their fleet operations and benefit the local community. CTE, a non-profit and leader in alternative transportation technology deployments, will manage the project, collect operational data, and report on the project’s impact.   The combined efforts of project partners will help further the objective of developing a market for this advanced electric transportation technology.

Related Content

  • December 7, 2021
    VTTI sees future of truck ADS
    Although automated driving systems (ADS) for trucks promise increased safety, productivity, and efficiency, it is not clear how they should be integrated into fleet operations with conventional vehicles. Erin Mabry and Martin Walker, of VTTI, provide answers
  • November 6, 2019
    Gnewt to trial V2G tech to power EV fleet
    A London-based parcel delivery service is to trial Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology to help power 70 electric vehicles (EVs). Gnewt by Menzies Distribution intends to use V2G to explore the ability of EVs releasing energy back to the grid when not in use. The trial is part of a Cisco-led project called E-Flex which aims to demonstrate how V2G can help reduce the demand EVs put on energy networks. Gnewt’s founder Sam Clarke says: “Through E-Flex, we’re able to sustainably carry on with our day-to-day op
  • November 4, 2019
    Horiba urges electric retrofits for bus fleets
    Horiba Mira is urging bus manufacturers and operators to consider converting existing buses with electric powertrain technology to help the UK achieve a cleaner public transportation network. Horiba’s global electrification services leader Greg Harris says: “While the onus to date has mainly been on bringing new electrical buses to market, not to be overlooked is the major role retrofitting existing buses to e-buses can play in the UK’s all-electric bus towns pilot, and in meeting the EU’s clean vehicles d
  • September 12, 2012
    New report on rising global vehicle production
    New research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute for its Vital Signs Online service indicates that production of passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks) rose from 74.4 million in 2010 to 76.8 million in 2011, and 2012 may bring an all-time high of 80 million or more vehicles. Global sales of passenger vehicles increased from 75.4 million to 78.6 million over the same period, with a projected 81.8 million in 2012. The major driver of increased production and sales are the so-called emerging economies, e