Which Companies Are Using Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Across sectors, many well-known companies already operate alternative fuel vehicles at scale, including Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL, Walmart, IKEA, PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch, Schneider National, NFI Industries, Maersk’s Performance Team, Waste Management, Republic Services, Uber, Lyft, Hertz, AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast. These fleets use battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, renewable natural gas (RNG/CNG), and advanced biofuel-powered vehicles in daily service. Below is a sector-by-sector look at who’s using what, where, and why.

What counts as an alternative fuel vehicle?

Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are those that run on energy sources other than conventional gasoline or diesel. In corporate fleets today, the most common AFVs are battery-electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), trucks running on compressed or liquefied natural gas (often using lower-carbon renewable natural gas), and vehicles fueled by advanced biofuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) or renewable diesel. Many fleets mix these options by duty cycle: EVs for urban delivery, RNG or biofuels for heavy line-haul, and pilots of hydrogen for longer ranges with fast refueling.

Parcel, e-commerce, and last‑mile delivery

Parcel carriers and e-commerce giants are among the most visible adopters of electric vans, cargo bikes, and low-carbon fuels for urban and suburban routes.

• Amazon: Deploying thousands of Rivian electric delivery vans across the U.S. and expanding in Europe; also using e-cargo bikes in dense cities and contracting line-haul carriers that run on RNG and, in some corridors, battery-electric tractors.
• UPS: Operates one of the world’s largest alternative-fuel and advanced-technology fleets, including CNG/LNG and RNG tractors, plus growing numbers of electric vans and pilot heavy-duty e-trucks.
• FedEx: Rolling out GM BrightDrop electric vans for pickup-and-delivery with a 2040 goal for zero-emission P&D operations; also uses lower-carbon fuels and warehouse EVs.
• DHL Group: Thousands of electric vans and e-cargo bikes globally; expanding HVO and other biofuels for regional and long-haul trucks, and piloting hydrogen trucks in select markets.
• Royal Mail, DPD, GLS, and Evri (UK/EU): Converting large portions of urban fleets to electric vans and bikes and using HVO for longer routes.

These firms are standardizing EVs for the “last mile,” where range and charging fit daily routes, while shifting line-haul toward cleaner fuels and early hydrogen and heavy-duty EV pilots.

Retailers and consumer brands

Major retailers and fast-moving consumer goods companies are electrifying last-mile delivery, piloting zero-emission heavy trucks, and switching long-haul carriers to RNG or HVO to cut freight emissions.

• Walmart: Piloting and operating electric tractors and yard trucks in North America, supplementing with CNG/RNG for long-haul; exploring EV delivery vans through partnerships; widespread use of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts in distribution centers.
• IKEA: Targeting 100% zero-emission home deliveries in many large cities, using electric vans and cargo bikes; adopting HVO and other biofuels for regional logistics via partners.
• PepsiCo: Operating Tesla Semi tractors in California fleets alongside electric box trucks and yard tractors; using RNG and efficiency upgrades across logistics.
• Anheuser-Busch: Running significant RNG-powered trucking with carriers and piloting both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell tractors in California and other regions.
• Coca‑Cola bottlers and Nestlé: Deploying electric delivery trucks and vans in multiple European markets; increasing use of HVO/renewable diesel for heavier routes.

Retail and consumer goods fleets often blend technologies—EVs for store and urban deliveries, and lower-carbon liquid or gaseous fuels for regional freight—to match cost, range, and infrastructure.

Heavy-duty trucking and logistics

Logistics providers and large shippers are fielding some of the earliest commercial deployments of Class 8 battery-electric and hydrogen trucks where incentives and charging or hydrogen hubs exist, while continuing large-scale RNG and biofuel use.

• Schneider National: Operating one of North America’s largest Class 8 battery-electric fleets (e.g., Freightliner eCascadia) in Southern California drayage and regional operations.
• NFI Industries: Deploying Volvo VNR Electric and other zero-emission tractors for port drayage and regional haul in California, with additional pilots elsewhere.
• Maersk’s Performance Team: Adding Volvo VNR Electric trucks in California for warehousing and distribution; expanding charging depot capacity tied to port operations.
• Sysco: Introducing electric tractors and yard trucks in select markets; expanding CNG/RNG usage for broader distribution fleets.
• Penske and Ryder: Offering electric trucks for lease and rental, operating EV pilots with customers, and building out charging and maintenance capabilities.

These deployments concentrate where grid capacity, incentives, and duty cycles align—ports and urban corridors—while RNG and advanced biofuels support longer, less infrastructure-dense routes.

Hydrogen fuel cell early adopters

Hydrogen trucks remain early-stage but are moving into real-world service in drayage and regional haul where payload and quick refueling are priorities.

• Nikola customers in the U.S. (examples include fleets operating in California and Arizona such as IMC, 4 Gen Logistics, and carriers serving Anheuser‑Busch): Putting fuel cell electric trucks into drayage and regional duty tied to emerging hydrogen fueling hubs.
• Toyota Logistics Services and partners at the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach: Operating Kenworth/Toyota fuel cell trucks in port drayage as part of multi-year demonstrations transitioning to commercial use.
• DHL and other EU logistics operators: Piloting hydrogen tractors on select cross-border corridors alongside biofuels and BEVs.

As fueling infrastructure expands along freight corridors, hydrogen deployments are expected to grow in applications where battery weight, charging time, and long-range requirements are most constraining.

Waste, utilities, and field service fleets

Refuse, utility, and telecom fleets were early adopters of natural gas and are now layering in battery-electric service vehicles and, in some cases, electric or hybrid bucket and refuse trucks.

• Waste Management (WM): Operates one of North America’s largest CNG refuse fleets and increasingly uses RNG; piloting battery-electric refuse trucks in select cities.
• Republic Services: Thousands of CNG refuse trucks and an expanding footprint of electric refuse vehicles (e.g., Mack LR Electric) in municipal contracts.
• AT&T and Verizon: Transitioning field service vans and light-duty trucks to EVs in multiple U.S. markets; legacy CNG assets remain in service in parts of the fleet.
• Comcast: Ordering and deploying Ford E-Transit and other electric service vans regionally; building workplace charging to support crews.
• Electric utilities (e.g., PG&E, Southern California Edison, National Grid): Converting light-duty fleets to EVs, introducing electric or hybrid bucket trucks, and supporting public charging buildout.

Because these fleets have defined daily routes and depot parking, they can electrify efficiently while keeping natural gas and biofuels for heavier-duty or longer-range tasks.

Mobility services, rentals, and car sharing

Passenger mobility companies are both enabling and directly operating AFVs, accelerating consumer exposure and charging availability.

• Uber and Lyft: Committing to 100% zero-emission rides in core markets by 2030; expanding driver access to EV rentals, incentives, and charging partnerships.
• Hertz: Maintaining a sizable EV rental fleet in major cities (while rebalancing mix by model and market); collaborating with ride-hail drivers and corporate customers.
• Enterprise and Avis: Adding EVs across rental and corporate programs; building charging at airport and neighborhood locations.
• Zipcar (car sharing): Introducing EVs in select U.S. and European cities to support short urban trips.

These services broaden EV access beyond ownership, helping fleets and drivers gain experience while infrastructure scales.

How companies choose an alternative fuel

Fleet managers typically match fuel and technology to route needs and infrastructure availability. Short, predictable urban routes favor battery-electric vans and box trucks; regional freight can work with heavy-duty BEVs where charging is available; long-haul and high-utilization operations often rely on RNG or advanced biofuels today, with hydrogen beginning to slot into heavier-duty regional and corridor applications. Total cost of ownership, incentives, uptime, and charging or fueling reliability are deciding factors.

Summary

A wide range of companies—from parcel giants and retailers to logistics providers, waste haulers, utilities, and mobility services—are already using alternative fuel vehicles at meaningful scale. Electric vans and trucks now handle much of the last mile; RNG and biofuels lower emissions in heavy-duty lanes; and hydrogen pilots are moving into commercial service in drayage and regional haul. As infrastructure grows and vehicle options diversify, adoption is accelerating across sectors and geographies.