It’s a good day to breathe a bit easier. The number of all-electric trucks headed out to make local deliveries is growing. Whether you’re in Southern California or a major Canadian city, all-electric trucks will be coming your way by the end of 2022, with some going into service by this fall.
Volvo announces largest-ever VNR Electric order, now has over 100 to deliver in two years
Last week we mentioned how Daimler is now taking orders for its new all-electric delivery trucks, the medium-duty eM2 and the Class 8 eCascadia tractor. But Volvo Trucks is not going to be left behind in the race to put more electric trucks on the road and has been taking orders for its VNR Electric trucks since December.
Volvo already has a number of customer deliveries lined up throughout 2021, but it announced this week that the largest single order has come in from Quality Custom Distribution (QCD), a national food service logistics supplier that will take delivery of 14 new VNR Electric trucks starting this fall for use at its distribution center in Fontana, California. The new EVs will move goods on last-mile delivery routes in Riverside and San Bernardino counties by the end of 2022. As part of QCD’s order, Volvo Trucks and its partners, including Greenlots, will install eight high-power charging stations at the Fontana distribution center.
QCD has already taken delivery of one VNR Electric truck, bringing its total to 15, so the company has firsthand experience in using the plug-in trucks. The first truck was delivered as part of the Volvo LIGHTS project, a public-private partnership with a mission to turn “battery electric freight movement” from an idea to a “widespread reality,” in Volvo’s words. The three-year, $90 million project is expected to reduce annual diesel fuel use among the participants by 207,000 gallons, which translates into estimated reductions of 3,020 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions each year. Of course, the benefits of electric trucks will continue beyond the project period, and Volvo and QCD say that the lessons learned from using these early VNR Electric trucks in the real world will provide QCD with the “valuable information needed to expand its fleet of zero-emission trucks.”
Including the new order from QCD, Volvo Trucks has accepted orders for more than 100 VNR Electric models that it will deliver over the next two years. Volvo builds the VNR Electric at its New River Valley plant in Virginia.
Tier 1 automotive supplier avoids line-down debacle via AIT Worldwide Logistics’ speedy transborder solution (SPONSORED)
In Q3 2020, a leading automotive supplier involved in the production of a highly anticipated SUV realized it needed to ship a mold overnight from the United States to Mexico. Find out how AIT’s automotive logistics experts quickly devised a seamless transborder solution — and saved the customer from production shutdown.
IKEA Canada will use 5-ton Lion6 electric delivery trucks in major cities
California isn’t the only place where electric delivery trucks are about to deliver goods without any local emissions. IKEA Canada announced Thursday that it is making good on its previously announced commitment to make all of its deliveries zero-emission by 2025. The latest step forward takes the shape of a new order by Second Closet, IKEA Canada’s last-mile delivery provider, for 15 Lion6 heavy-duty zero-emission trucks from Lion Electric.
Second Closet will use these 15 5-ton electric trucks (15 seems to be the lucky number this week) for local deliveries in the greater Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver markets starting this fall. These first 15 electric trucks will have an important impact on IKEA Canada’s zero-emission goals, since they will “enable IKEA to achieve 20 percent of its ambitious zero emission delivery goals,” the company said.
Looking beyond the 2025 zero-emission target, IKEA plans to make big changes by 2030. That includes becoming a “circular and climate positive business” by that time, which means the company will reduce more GHG emissions through its various efforts than the whole of the IKEA value chain emits. No small feat considering that IKEA wants to grow its business as it does so, more and more of the world’s commerce is happening online, and IKEA Canada’s home deliveries in 2020 grew to over 500,000, a 30% increase from 2019.
Interested in more information on EVs and sustainability efforts?
FreightWaves’ Net-Zero Carbon Summit on Earth Day!
The climate is changing. Higher temperatures, more intense and frequent natural disasters, and rising sea levels are among the many challenges that climate change poses.
The transportation sector has recognized its role and is paving the way for a more sustainable future. From fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction goals to hydrogen-powered aircraft and battery-electric trucks, sustainable transportation technologies are advancing every day.
Tune in to the Net-Zero Carbon Summit on Thursday, April 22, to hear industry experts discuss strategies to decarbonize the transportation sector!
Industry speakers will include:
- Angie Slaughter, vice president of sustainability procurement at Anheuser-Busch.
- Chris Richter, founder and chief executive officer at FloorFound.
- Pablo Koziner, president of Nikola Energy.
- Josh Raglin, chief sustainability officer at Norfolk Southern.
Click here to register for this FREE event!
In other automotive news:
TuSimple raises $1.1B in IPO sales ahead of bell-ringing public debut
Road-user fee advocates warn Congress: Give truckers priority