VTNA Awarded $21.7 Million in Grants to Deploy Electric Trucks
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Volvo Trucks North America announced it was awarded $21.7 million in federal and state grants to deploy 70 VNR Electric trucks in Southern California for regional freight distribution and drayage.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is distributing the largest portion of the grants.
VTNA, a unit of Volvo Group, will deliver the EPA-funded VNR Electric trucks to Southern California fleet operators starting in 2021 through the third quarter of 2022, allowing for at least a full year of operations by the end of the project period in 2023. The announcement comes as VTNA nears the official commercial launch of its VNR Electric truck model later this year.
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The EPA’s Targeted Air Shed Grant Program is providing $20 million in funding, supplemented by $1.7 million from the South Coast Air Quality Management District for charging infrastructure, to improve air quality in the region.
“We applaud the EPA and South Coast AQMD for addressing the key issues in advancing electromobility and incentivizing technology investments in the region, and are proud they continue to trust in Volvo Trucks North America to lead the acceleration of Class 8 zero-emission vehicles,” VTNA President Peter Voorhoeve said in a release.
Greensboro, N.C.-based VTNA will gather deployment data to further refine total cost of ownership calculations including actual vehicle maintenance and fuel cost savings, which can be even lower when combined with low carbon fuel standard credits and managed charging to reduce demand charges. Learnings from this project will allow VTNA to fine-tune the production at its New River Valley plant in Virginia, enabling seamless integration of the VNR Electric truck model into its manufacturing process for optimized, quality production. — Transport Topics
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