In an effort to cut fuel costs, logistics giant UPS Inc. has purchased 125 hybrid electric delivery trucks. The purchase is part of the company's move toward zero-emission, electric-powered vehicles.

The Atlanta-based delivery company forecasts the new trucks will save gas by operating with four times the fuel economy of a gasoline-powered vehicle. The company plans to roll them out in the first half of 2016 as part of its operations in Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

In addition to cutting gas bills and extending driving range, the new trucks will cut the environmental impact of UPS' enormous delivery fleet.

The vehicles cost slightly more than comparable gas-powered trucks, but UPS plans to work with the manufacturer, Cincinnati-based Workhorse Group Inc., to develop intelligent battery recharging plans that optimize the use of alternative-fuel and advanced-technology vehicles. "These trucks are designed specifically to meet the stop-and-start needs of UPS's urban delivery routes," said Workhorse CEO Steve Burns. "They rely on a very small internal-combustion engine and lithium ion battery to deliver a 50- to 60-mile-per-day range."

Workhorse also manufactures electric drive systems for medium-duty, Class 3 to 6 commercial truck platforms and for the motorhome/RV industry, equipping each chassis with gasoline, propane, CNG, or all-electric engines.