Labatt Breweries places single largest Volvo VNR Electric truck order in Canada

Labatt Breweries of Canada is adding ten new Volvo VNR Electric semi trucks to its transport fleet, marking a major sustainability milestone by hauling Labatt’s beer and ready-to-drink-beverage portfolio from distribution centers in Bois-des-Filion to customers in Montreal.

Labatt Breweries joins companies like Home Hardware and McDonald’s in putting the Volvo VNR Electric semi trucks to work, leaning on the capabilities of the trucks’ 565 kWh batteries to easily deliver on Labatt’s 50-110 km (about 70 miles) delivery routes, often without the need to top off the big battery.

When they do need to recharge, they can do so at Labatt’s own, privately-developed onsite charging infrastructure, conveniently located at the very distribution centers the truck services. The big OTR Volvo Trucks can recharge from 10 to 80% in under 60 minutes.

That kind of capability, coupled with a lower total operating cost and reduced downtime for maintenance when compared to diesel, makes the switch to electric an easy one – and that’s being noticed by other fleets throughout Canada, too.

“We have seen increasing demand for battery-electric vehicles (BEV) in Canada, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, helping customers make progress towards their decarbonization goals by adopting BEVs,” says Matthew Blackman, managing director for Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “We are proud to support Labatt’s leadership in sustainable transportation solutions and their commitment to minimizing their environmental impact with these zero-tailpipe emission trucks.”

Labatt’s dealer partner, GSH Camions Volvo Montréal, helped the company navigate the available funding and incentive opportunities to offset the higher initial cost of investment in battery-electric trucks and charging infrastructure, securing funding through the federal Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emissions Vehicles (iMHZEV) and Quebec’s Écocamionnage programs, underscoring the critical role governments play in accelerating the transition to zero emission transportation.

Electrek’s Take

Volvo’s first-mover position in the North American market has led to a number of companies choosing to adopt its HDEVs, and the anticipated next-generation VNL Electric (shown, above) will only give it a bigger lead in the space.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Trucks; via Clean Trucking.