ROANOKE, Va. — Fleetmaster Express and Englander Transportation have partnered with Volvo Trucks North America to begin the process of transitioning from a diesel-powered fleet to an electric one.
The company has ordered 10 commercial electric trucks from Volvo and expects to receive the first two in late November or early December. According to a company statement, these will be the first Class 8 electric trucks in operation outside of the west coast.
“Our goal is to create a better environment as we deploy these trucks” said Travis Smith, COO of Fleetmaster Express and Englander Transportation. The new Volvo electric trucks will operate out of Fleetmaster Express’s Fort Worth, Texas, terminal.
Fleetmaster Express has a goal of creating a sustainable, energy-efficient fleet through the use of the electric trucks, which are estimated to offer about a 40% increase in efficiency of diesel-fueled trucks. In addition, the company statement continues, the electric trucks are significantly quieter and reduce gas emissions by about 50%.
Fleetmaster Express and Volvo’s engineering teams have tracked the performance and efficiency of the electric trucks through studies, and will continue to perform more evaluations along the way. Fleetmaster Express’s goal is to have a total of 18 units deployed by the end of 2022.
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