Kenworth Truck Co. says Jack Khudikyan, owner of AJR Trucking and MDB Transportation, has ordered 15 Kenworth T680E and 10 Kenworth K270E battery electric vehicles (EV) from Inland Kenworth – Montebello. It marks the largest Kenworth battery EV order placed to date.
AJR Trucking is a U.S. Postal Service contract carrier based in Los Angeles. MDB Transportation provides transportation services, including dedicated, port and rail, LTL, and full truckload.
In 2016, AJR Trucking and MDB Transportation began adding Kenworth T680s, powered by compressed natural gas, to reduce carbon emissions. Combined, the two companies operate more than 80 natural gas-powered trucks and continue to phase out its diesel trucks as operations allow.
“Several years ago, we made the decision to begin adding trucks that run on alternative fuels to reduce our carbon footprint and to better assist our customers in meeting their sustainability goals,” says Khudikyan. “It’s important to do what’s right for the environment, and we’re on a mission to one day achieve net-zero emissions between the two companies. This order of Kenworth Class 6 and Class 8 battery electric vehicles will assist us in meeting that goal.”
AJR Trucking will use the K270Es to provide regional postal services in the greater Los Angeles area. The T680Es will operate in MDB Transportation’s drayage operations at the Port of Los Angeles. To offset the cost of the Kenworth T680E and K270E battery electric vehicles, the companies qualified and received voucher incentives through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).
“Jack and his team at AJR Trucking and MDB Transportation are real leaders when it comes to addressing the impacts of climate change,” states Charles Peterman, Inland Kenworth’s vice president of new truck sales. “We applaud his commitment to operating in a more sustainable way as his companies will become some of the first to put these new trucks into real-world service.”
“This is a significant milestone for Kenworth, AJR Trucking, and MDB Transportation,” comments Kevin Baney, Kenworth’s general manager and PACCAR’s vice president. “We take pride in Jack’s commitment to invest in Kenworth’s battery electric models and be an early adopter of this new technology.”
Designed for pickup and delivery, regional haul and drayage applications, the T680E is available as a day cab as either a tractor or straight truck. The T680E has an 82,000 lb. gross vehicle weight rating and estimated 150-mile operating range, depending on application.
The K270E is for pickup and delivery and short regional haul operations. The electric powertrain is available with high-density battery packs of 141 kWh, 209 kWh and 282 kWh that deliver up to 100-, 150- and 200-mile range, respectively.
PACCAR Parts electric vehicle (EV) charging stations maximize coverage over a full range of Kenworth electric vehicles, with output power from 20 to 350 kW. EV chargers can be purchased from Kenworth dealers.