Ryder Reveals First Two Companies in EV Fleet Program
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
Truck leasing and logistics company Ryder System identified its initial customers Dec. 5 for its RyderElectric+ turnkey electric vehicle fleet program.
The first two companies to be publicly revealed are Pompano Beach, Fla.-based Land ‘N’ Sea Distributing, a marine and recreational vehicle parts distributor, and Servientrega International, a Bogota, Colombia-based parcel logistics carrier with operations in Miami.
Miami-based Ryder introduced the program in May, saying it combined electrification consulting, vehicle leasing, charging, telematics and maintenance services for light-duty EVs and is expected to offer the scheme for larger trucks too.
Ryder expects the program to make it simpler for customers to navigate deploying and operating EVs in their fleets.
As part of the program, Land ‘N’ Sea will lease both BrightDrop Zevo 600 and Ford E-Transit vans. Land ‘N’ Sea will deploy the vehicles in South Florida.
Servientrega will use Zevo 600s in South Florida to carry parcels for shipping to destinations in South America.
Rodriguez
Additional carriers already have engaged the turnkey RyderElectric+ solution for rolling out an EV fleet, said Carlo Rodriguez, Ryder managing director for electric vehicles, and details are likely to be made public in the coming months.
“In certain applications, light-duty EVs come out ahead of internal combustion engine competitors when it comes to cost,” Rodriguez said.
Ryder offers a range of EVs for lease beyond the BrightDrop and Ford vans, including Navistar’s International eMV Series trucks, Lonestar EVs with Dana’s electric powertrain, and Freightliner’s MT50e vans, medium-duty eM2 and heavy-duty eCascadia.
Ryder signs first customers to multi-year electric vehicle contracts. Land ‘N’ Sea Distributing and Servientrega International Inc. secure new electric cargo vans as part of RyderElectric+. #RyderElectric+ #RyderEVs #InnovateWithRyder https://t.co/BZ4S78aOsP — Ryder (@RyderSystemInc) December 5, 2023
Customers are using some of these heavier-duty vehicles, Rodriguez said, but details are still under wraps. Ryder expects a surge in interest from RyderElectric+ customers for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, he added.
Ryder has a number of legacy original equipment manufacturer partners, Rodriguez said, including Navistar and Freightliner, but is also open to expanding its portfolio of models for customers. It has reservations in place for Tesla Semi tractors.
With more battery-electric Class 8 tractors being produced, the competitive landscape will accelerate as prices decrease, which will accelerate EV adoption in the heavy-duty segment of the freight market, Rodriguez said.
Mandates, including those from California, will do the same, said Rodriguez, who added that Ryder has about 100 EVs deployed across all segments of its own fleet.
By 2025, 10% of the company’s box trucks, vans, yard tractors and light-duty package delivery vehicles must be zero-emission in California, and a matching percentage of work trucks and day cab tractors must be by 2027 under the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation.
Ryder in April announced plans to introduce 4,000 Zevo 600 and BrightDrop Zevo 400 vans to its lease and rental fleet through 2025. In September, Ryder deployed its first Zevo 600s at four company facilities in California, Texas and New York.
Ryder Supply Chain Solutions ranks No. 10 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America and No. 9 among TT’s 100 largest for-hire carriers.
The company has built a dedicated 10-person EV team. Rodriguez’s EV team helps with Ryder’s ChoiceLease, rental, dedicated and service vehicle fleet ambitions, he said.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing below or go here for more info:
