Webinar: On the Road to Sustainable Freight: Where do Electric Trucks Fit In?
After nearly a decade of significant industry and public investment, fleet owners and operators are beginning to take delivery of electric trucks – and to selectively deploy them. Join EPA SmartWay and its partners, US Foods, Watsontown Trucking, and North American Council for Freight Efficiency for a frank discussion on their early experience with electric trucks – and how electric trucks fit into their larger vision for a more efficient and sustainable future for freight.
Ken Marko, Fleet Sustainability Senior Manager, US Foods
Ken will cover key factors and the careful analyses US Foods applied prior to its 2023 deployment of 40 electric Class 8 tractors (regional haul), 8 electric yard tractors, and 4 electric delivery vans. These vehicles currently service food and grocery markets in Southern California operating out of US Foods’ La Marida, Calif. distribution center. Ken will discuss load limits, range, electricity charges, route management, technology service and maintenance needs unique to the electric trucks.
Steve Patton, President, Watsontown Trucking
In 2021, Watsontown Trucking entered a partnership with Volvo and purchased 5 VNR electric semitrucks to operate out of its warehouse in Dublin, Virginia and service Volvo’s New River Valley manufacturing plant, also in Dublin. Steve will report out on Watsontown’s experience using these trucks on this dedicated route. He’ll also share the company’s plans for deploying 5 more electric trucks that Watsontown will take delivery of later this year under a $1.8 million state grant it was recently awarded from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Dave Schaller, Director, Industry Engagement, North American Council for Freight Industry (NACFE)
Since 2017, NACFE has hosted an annual real-world freight efficiency demonstration, Run on Less, looking at fuel and efficiency benefits of traditional tractor and trailer aerodynamics, cruise control, low-rolling resistant tires and more. For the past three years, NACFE and its fleet partners have put electric trucks to the test. NACFE will share findings from its recent electric truck demonstrations, highlighting the applications and duty cycles where the trucks fit in, and the challenges the industry faces in deploying them in larger numbers for those applications.
This webinar is for: All SmartWay Partners and interested others.