Labatt Breweries of Canada has acquired 10 new electric trucks for its logistics operations in Quebec. The purchase is the largest single order of VNR Electric trucks for Volvo Trucks in Canada, representing nearly 25 per cent of their deliveries.
Labatt’s latest investment is in addition to the recent announcement of the purchase of it’s first zero-emission mobile service repair truck for the province.
“Integrating electric trucks into our fleet marks a significant milestone for our operations and our goal to deliver beer to our customers in the most efficient way possible,” said Sarah Genetti, Senior Director of Procurement and Sustainability at Labatt Breweries of Canada. “This initiative is one additional step toward our global ambition of achieving net-zero emissions across our business by 2040 and reflects our commitment to adopting innovative solutions that reduce our carbon footprint.”
Labatt’s $5,470,000 investment in the new electric truck fleet was supported by a $750,000 contribution from the Government of Canada through it’s Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emissions Vehicles (iMHZEV) program while the Government of Quebec contributed $875,000 as part of the Écocamionnage “Part 1 – Acquisition of technologies” program.
Each electric truck eliminates the emissions of approximately six conventional vehicles*. The new fleet will achieve a total reduction in emissions equivalent to that of 60 cars. The Volvo VNR Electric trucks offer a range of up to 280 km with four battery packs of 300 kWh of usable energy. They deliver a power output of 340 kWh, equating to 455hp, with a maximum torque of 4,051 lb./ft. Additionally, they feature a towing capacity of 80,000 lbs GCWR (gross combination weight rating).
At the Labatt Montreal distribution centre, where each vehicle averages 50 km daily and at the Bois-des-Filion distribution centre, where they average 110 km daily, the new electric trucks are supported by extensive onsite charging infrastructure.
Montreal has three single-port and two dual-port ABB Terra 54 and Terra 124 stations, while Bois-des-Filion has one single-port and two dual-port stations.
Labatt’s delivery teams have received extensive training to operate the recently purchased electric battery vehicles effectively and driver feedback has been very positive, noting the ease of driving, excellent cabin visibility and the quiet operation of the trucks.
