Volvo Trucks North America’s customers and carrier partners Watsontown Trucking Company and Camrett Logistics have placed orders for their first Volvo VNR Electric trucks.
By the end of 2021, the Virginia-based fleets will utilize the zero-tailpipe-emission trucks to transport inbound parts and components daily to the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Assembly Operations (NRV) in Dublin, Va., where every Volvo truck in North America is assembled.
The Volvo VNR Electric model entered serial production at NRV earlier this year.
“An important part of Volvo Trucks’ sustainability strategy is to reduce CO2 from our own operations globally and putting the Volvo VNR Electric to work, servicing our NRV operations,” says Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “This initiative with Watsontown Trucking Company and Camrett Logistics presents an exciting opportunity to continue partnering with fleets that were already servicing our local NRV logistics routes, and to utilize Volvo VNR Electrics to reduce the carbon footprint of our own supply chain.
The two Volvo VNR Electric models ordered through this initiative, which was first announced in August 2021, will be the first battery-electric trucks deployed in each company’s fleet. The trucks will complete 10 to 12 roundtrips per day as they travel from their local warehouse facilities to NRV. The Volvo VNR Electric’s 264 kWh lithium-ion batteries have an operating range of up to 150 miles. Regenerative braking can increase range by returning up to 15% of the power back to the battery, depending on the duty cycle. Both fleets will recharge their Volvo VNR Electrics at their local facilities.
Watsontown Trucking Company operates a fleet of 425 trucks that perform over-the-road transport, as well as regional haul and last-mile delivery.
“Electrification is the future, and we pride ourselves as being a leader in the industry,” comments Steve Patton, president of Watsontown Trucking Company. “As a SmartWay-certified carrier, our focus has always been on sustainability and decreasing the carbon footprint of our operations. Volvo Trucks has the same mission, so we were happy to partner with them to deploy our first of what we expect to be many battery-electric trucks.”
Camrett Logistics operates a fleet of 18 Volvo trucks, and the Volvo VNR Electric will be the company’s first battery-electric truck. By operating their Volvo VNR Electric on short-haul runs to and from NRV, both Camrett Logistics and Volvo Trucks will have the opportunity to gather real-world data that can assist with the ongoing expansion of zero-emission logistics nationwide.
“Here at Camrett Logistics, we have a goal to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030,” mentions Collin Peel, founder and CEO of Camrett Logistics. “This goal drove our decision to participate in this initiative with Volvo Trucks and to take a leadership role as one of the first fleets in Virginia to deploy a Class 8 battery-electric truck. Volvo Trucks is a longtime partner, and this is a great opportunity to have input from its engineers and guidance for this project right in our own backyard.”
Camrett Logistics is also making investments in solar panels to power all their facilities with a goal of electrifying all the Class 8 trucks in their operations. The Volvo VNR Electric will be serviced at the local Volvo Trucks dealership, Nacarato Truck Centers, in Roanoke, Va.
“We are excited to see the first deployments of our battery-electric model in Virginia, and glad to have the support of our local dealer, Nacarato Truck Centers, to ensure a positive customer experience after the sale,” adds Voorhoeve.