Volvo Trucks North America has announced plans to deliver three zero-tailpipe-emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks to City Harvest in 2026 as part of the Bronx Is Breathing clean transportation initiative.
City Harvest is New York City’s largest food rescue organization, and the project is backed by a $10 million award from the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program.
The initiative is designed to reduce diesel emissions, air pollution, and noise in South Bronx communities located near one of the busiest freight corridors in the United States. By deploying electric trucks for urban food delivery, the project supports cleaner freight movement while improving public health outcomes in historically overburdened neighborhoods.
City Harvest rescues and delivers millions of pounds of food to New Yorkers each year, and the addition of electric trucks will help support that mission with cleaner and quieter operations. According to Volvo Group representatives, the Bronx Is Breathing initiative demonstrates how targeted infrastructure investments and strong community partnerships can accelerate the adoption of electric trucks in dense urban freight environments.
City Harvest rescues and delivers millions of pounds of food across New York City each year. The addition of electric trucks will allow the organization to expand its mission using zero-emission commercial vehicles that operate more quietly and efficiently in dense urban environments. Volvo Group officials note that the Bronx Is Breathing project highlights how targeted infrastructure investment and public-private partnerships can accelerate electric truck adoption in cities.
Each Volvo VNR Electric truck will be equipped with battery-electric transport refrigeration units, ensuring true zero-tailpipe-emission food rescue and delivery operations across all five boroughs. Initially, the trucks will be charged at a newly installed charging site at the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative within the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center in the Bronx.
In the coming years, charging operations will transition to a freight-focused public EV charging hub being developed by MN8 Energy at Hunts Point. Scheduled to become operational in 2029, the hub will feature 32 DC fast chargers, including dedicated stalls for heavy-duty Class 8 electric trucks, along with 10 Level-2 chargers, significantly expanding charging access for commercial electric vehicles.
Why the Volvo VNR Electric Is Ideal for Urban Delivery Routes
The Volvo VNR Electric truck is purpose-built for urban freight operations, where trucks frequently operate near homes, schools, and small businesses. With zero tailpipe emissions, the VNR Electric helps improve local air quality in densely populated communities long impacted by transportation-related pollution.
In addition to eliminating exhaust emissions, the electric truck operates much more quietly than diesel alternatives. This reduction in noise pollution is particularly beneficial during early-morning and late-night deliveries, creating a healthier and more livable environment for city residents and drivers alike.
According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Bronx Is Breathing project will help City Harvest transition from diesel vehicles to zero-emission delivery trucks, while also supporting cleaner freight operations, improving air quality in the South Bronx, and strengthening the local economy.
Electric Trucks Delivering Cleaner Air and Community Benefits
The Bronx Is Breathing project showcases scalable commercial vehicle electrification strategies in the Hunts Point peninsula, home to the nation’s largest wholesale food hub and more than 15,000 truck trips each workday. Together, the deployment of electric trucks and the development of a public heavy-duty charging hub are expected to significantly reduce diesel emissions in South Bronx neighborhoods—areas that experience some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates in the country. The project also serves as a model that can be replicated in other underserved freight corridors.
City Harvest’s electric trucks are part of a broader eight-vehicle Volvo Group deployment funded through the initiative, supporting food distribution, waste operations, and local deliveries throughout Hunts Point. City Harvest rescues and delivers more than 86 million pounds of food annually—approximately 250,000 pounds each day—by collecting surplus food from grocers, farms, manufacturers, and restaurants and delivering it to food pantries, soup kitchens, and community programs across all five boroughs.
City Harvest leadership emphasized that the organization’s food rescue model will prevent more than 25 million kilograms of carbon emissions this year while continuing to provide essential food support to New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity. Because operations span every corner of the city, often in areas with heavy truck traffic, the transition to electric trucks represents a meaningful step toward reducing environmental impact while maintaining large-scale food distribution efforts.
All Volvo VNR Electric trucks deployed through the project will be supported by Milea Truck Sales and Leasing, the first East Coast dealership to achieve Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealership status. Headquartered in the Bronx, the family-owned dealership has invested in dedicated EV service bays, charging infrastructure, and parts inventory to ensure maximum vehicle uptime. Sales and service teams have completed extensive training to support local fleets transitioning to battery-electric trucks.
