UPS has purchased 130 diesel hybrid electric vehicles to add to their fleet.

They will be completed and put into service in 2011, with 30 going to NY/NJ, and 100 going to California. UPS estimates a savings of 66,085 gallons of fuel and 671 metric tons of CO2 annually… a 35% improvement in fuel economy – the equivalent of removing 128 passenger cars from the road.

UPS currently has 2,022 alternative fuel vehicles in operation such as: Hybrid Electric, Compressed Natural Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas, Propane and ‘All Electric’.

Porsche unveiled the new 918 hybrid spyder earlier this year. It boasts 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds with its mid engine 500 horsepower V8 (with 2 electric motors) and claims 78 mpg.

Top speed is suggested to be 198 mph, although I’ve also read that it will do over 200 mph.

As far as anyone knows, the specs are from Porsche and there is no indication of independent testing yet. Based on the Porsche RS Spyder, the estimated cost to own one of these will exceed $600,000 USD, and production could begin in about 2 years.