FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., will add the first electric vehicles (EVs) to its local fleet in Brazil in January 2014. With a cargo capacity of up to 1,433 pounds and the ability to cover approximately 75 miles on one charge, the models will be in service in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

The initiative is in collaboration with Renault and is part of the FedEx commitment to make its worldwide operations greener, according to the company. FedEx is a global leader in the deployment of electric vehicle technology for package pick-up and delivery in urban areas. The Brazilian operation is the seventh in the world to receive this type of vehicle. The country is one of the company’s priority markets due to its enormous business potential, along with its acquisition of Rapidão Cometa last year, which elevated FedEx to the position of the private company with the largest infrastructure in integrated air and ground transport in Brazil.   

The introduction of electric vehicles to the Brazilian operation is part of the FedEx global sustainability platform, EarthSmart, which guides the company’s commitment to the environment and to the communities in which it operates. The program is also an incentive for continuous innovation to make businesses and the world more sustainable. Another EarthSmart initiative implemented in the Brazilian market since 2012 is the use of carbon neutral envelopes made of 100 percent recycled paper, according to the company.

FedEx is expanding its operations in Brazil, aiming to deliver high quality service and operating in a way that benefits the community and the environment. The company is also updating its diesel and gasoline-powered fleet. Since last year, more than 450 vehicles have been purchased to increase and update the fleet, which brought its average age down from 5.6 to 3.2 years.