McLane adds VNR Electric via grant program
Foodservice provider McLane Company is one of seven fleets that recently received Volvo VNR Electric trucks as part of a $21.5M funding initiative supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The project, named “Switch-On,” deployed 70 zero-tailpipe emission trucks to fleets across Southern California for regional freight distribution and drayage. Initially announced in 2020, Switch-On is now one of the nation’s largest commercial deployments of Class 8 battery-electric trucks.
To date, Volvo Trucks has delivered more than 570 Volvo VNR Electric trucks across 31 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
The Switch-On project was backed by up to $19.5 million from the EPA’s Targeted Air Shed Grant Program, supplemented by $2 million from South Coast AQMD for charging infrastructure, aiming to improve air quality in the region, Volvo reported.
The first 15 trucks delivered were the first generation of commercially available VNR Electric trucks, while the remaining 55 are next-generation models featuring extended range and faster charging capabilities.
Fleets participating in the program also include CEVA, IMC Logistics, NFI, Performance Team (a Maersk Company), Pier Enterprises Group (DBA DC Logistics), and Western Regional Delivery Service/South Coast Transportation & Distribution
The trucks will collect data on performance in drayage and freight applications through 2025, providing at least a full year of operational insights for all the trucks.
“There are challenges on the road to electromobility adoption, but through close collaboration with public entities, utilities, manufacturers and other key industry partners, we can overcome these barriers and achieve our zero-emission goals,” Peter Voorhoeve, Volvo Trucks North America president, said in a news release. “We’re pleased to say that with successful collaboration, we’ve together been able to find solutions that are critical for these fleets and have been able to deploy the 70 Volvo VNR Electric trucks.
“By sharing our experiences and overcoming these challenges, we are paving the way for a broader industry adoption, just as we did with the Volvo LIGHTS project and our participation in the JETSI project.”
