Largest Ever US Order for All Electric Class 8 Trucks as California Stays in the Vanguard

US – It will not come as a surprise that the biggest Class 8 electric truck order so far has just been placed in California, rather than elsewhere in the US. The state's seaports have grasped the nettle when it comes to air quality and the haulage industry, and now the region will be a proving ground for the latest HGVs.

The trucks selected by warehouse and distribution company Performance Team, a recently acquired Maersk subsidiary, are Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 models, sixteen of them in all, to be on the road by the end of the year, carrying regional loads daily to customers across Southern California.

As with the majority of such vehicles so far, the trucks are designed for local and regional freight distribution, aiming at improving local residents’ quality of life by providing decarbonised and quiet transportation on urban streets and roadways. Volvo says the significant reduction of noise and vibrations also creates a best-in-class, clean and comfortable working environment for drivers. Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, commented:

“The shift toward electrification is an exciting time in the commercial truck space and Performance Team is leading the way with its largest order of the only battery-electric Class 8 model in scalable serial production today. Through its commitment to deploy 16 Volvo VNR Electrics by the end of 2021, Performance Team has demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, and this is another great step forward in reducing the trucking industry’s overall carbon footprint.”

This of course is also a tangible demonstration by Maersk of the Danish owned group’s own Environment Social Governance (ESG) strategy to decarbonise logistics. Performance Team is participating in a State of California South Coast Air Quality Management District grant to reduce emissions in the transportation sector by replacing diesel trucks with electric trucks and creating new, future charging infrastructure.

The El Segundo, California-based company operates a North America warehousing and distribution network of 45 locations and a fleet of 215 trucks with Jason Walker, executive vice president of operations of Performance Team explaining the decision for the order thus:

“We’re seeing a 30% growth rate in our Warehousing and Distribution business. Customers are looking for more truck power to meet high volume delivery demands. This new order of Volvo VNR Electric trucks will give us first-hand experience on their performance carrying regional loads and environmental benefits. Our findings will help determine next steps in our fleet modernisation and the electric infrastructure necessary for future operations.”