UPS to deliver packages in Florida via electric bikesUPS to deliver packages in Florida via electric bikes

If you’re the type of person that stays at home listening for the UPS truck to arrive as you wait for a delivery, we have bad news for you: that just got a lot more difficult.
UPS has launched its first silent electric delivery trike along Las Olas Boulevard and the surrounding neighborhoods of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
UPS is deploying the trike to support the the city’s Green Your Routine program and Vision Zero Fort Lauderdale initiative.
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“Fort Lauderdale is proud to collaborate with UPS to launch the first eBike in Florida,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler.
“The new bike is a great addition to the street safety enhancements we are making along Las Olas Boulevard to create a friendlier, safer, healthier, and more sustainable experience for everyone, regardless of travel mode.”
The initiative is one of many city-level efforts aiming at reducing road fatalities to zero through the redesign of transportation systems.
UPS electric trike launch in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The UPS eBike program began in Hamburg, Germany, in 2012 and has since expanded to other cities in Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, and Ireland.
UPS deployed its first U.S. eBike in Portland, Oregon, last year, then launched another in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in October.
“This is another example of how private and public sectors can work together to find sustainable solutions to meet the needs of today’s cities,” said Scott Phillippi, UPS’s senior director of maintenance and engineering, international operations.
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“We have many vehicle options when it comes to reducing our impact on the environment including our Cycle Solutions that provide greater mobility and zero emissions.”
Like many e-bikes on the market, the UPS solution is more like a moped, combining an electric motor with pedal power for maximum efficiency.
The trike can also run solely on battery power or pedal power. (I think we know which will be used more often.)
According to manufacturer Truck Trike of Portland, the custom UPS trike can travel at speeds up to 18 mph.
It delivers a range of up to 20 miles on a full charge, weighs in at roughly 400 pounds, and has a payload capacity of 800 pounds.
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