A record-sized order
FedEx has ordered 2,000 all-electric medium-duty trucks from Harbinger, a California manufacturer, in a deal valued at more than $300 million. Harbinger announced the binding order on September 30. The company says it believes the purchase is one of the largest binding orders ever placed for electric medium-duty or heavy-duty trucks.
The vehicles are Class 5 and 6 pickup and delivery trucks. Harbinger plans to build and deliver them within about 18 months, with deployment in the United States and Canada finished by the end of 2027. The electric trucks will replace conventional diesel vehicles one for one.
From a pilot fleet to a rollout
The order expands a relationship that began less than a year ago, when FedEx bought 53 Harbinger trucks. FedEx also co-led a $160 million funding round for the company. Harbinger says the earlier vehicles have run inside the FedEx network long enough to justify a much larger commitment.
FedEx has said it wants to electrify its entire pickup and delivery fleet by 2040. Moving from dozens of trucks to thousands is a step toward that goal, though the company has not said how much of the fleet the new vehicles will cover.
Costs and climate claims
Harbinger estimates the fleet could save about $800 million in diesel costs and avoid more than 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a 20-year service life. Those figures assume stable electricity prices and steady use. Electric trucks cost more to buy than diesel models, and operators must add charging equipment at depots.
Delivery firms face growing pressure to cut emissions in the cities where they operate. Medium-duty trucks make up a small share of vehicles on the road but cover many miles in dense areas each day. Charging is the main open question, because depot power upgrades can take years. FedEx has not said which sites will be fitted out first or how the new trucks will be charged.
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