The company said it was 80% of the way towards emissions targets set for 2020 in just under half the time originally allocated, and was now looking to set even more stringent goals by the end of the project. Some 20% of the FedEx fleet is made up of more efficient models which comply with American EPA diesel emission standards set in 2010.

Electric vehicle trials are already underway globally. FedEx has an additional 87 electric delivery trucks set to join its fleet, bringing the total to 130 including factory built models and conversions. These additional vehicles will be deployed in California, Washington D.C., New York City and parts of Texas, with head-to-head testing being carried out in Chicago.

A fleet of electric trucks is also being prepared for roll-out across Asia and Europe, with vehicles in use in London and Paris. FedEx said fleets were ideal for electric technology because the vehicles can be charged overnight when grid demand is low. The company has joined a project with General Electric and Columbia University to develop an opitimised charging system for its New York City fleet.

Mitch Jackson, staff vice president of environmental affairs and sustainability, FedEx Corp, commented: ‘While we naturally want to improve performance and reduce costs for FedEx, we also want to see all-electric trucks become more affordable and reliable for everyone from your local pizza parlor to other small businesses that deliver. This is a strategy for reducing reliance on petroleum-based fuels in a much faster, more inclusive and impactful way.’