Fleetmaster Express recently ordered 10 Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 trucks as part of the company’s plan to transition from a diesel fleet to an electric one.
The Roanoke, Virginia-based carrier said it expects to receive the first two by early December. The Class 8 electric trucks will be the first in operation in Texas, according to Fleetmaster Express. They will be based at the company’s terminal in Fort Worth.
Fleetmaster officials said they want to develop a sustainable, energy-efficient fleet through the use of the electric trucks, which are estimated to have 40% greater efficiency than diesel-fueled trucks.
“Our goal is to create a better environment as we deploy these trucks,” CEO Travis Smith said in a statement.
Fleetmaster operates over 300 trucks with 1,000 trailers from 13 terminals across the country. The company offers dedicated hauling, as well as freight brokerage, warehousing and spotting services.
Volvo Trucks North America is based in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Volvo’s VNR electric Class 8 truck are produced at the company’s New River Valley truck assembly operations in Dublin, Virginia.
While Class 8 electric trucks are becoming more common in California, they are not as frequent in other U.S. states yet, partly because long haul electric trucks would be dependent on a nationwide network of charging infrastructure.
In August, New York-based Manhattan Beer Distributors took delivery of the first of five Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 trucks it purchased from the company. The new vehicle joins the beverage distributor’s fleet of more than 400 trucks, which deliver beer in the greater New York City area.
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