NFI Industries—a leading third-party supply chain solutions provider—is increasing its investment in electromobility solutions with its latest order of 60 Volvo VNR Electric trucks. The battery-electric freight trucks will be deployed in NFI’s Ontario, California fleet throughout 2022 and 2023, in support of its goal of operating the first 100% zero-emission freight logistics fleet in the nation.

NFI started its electromobility journey with Volvo Trucks as part of the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project that began in 2019. NFI started piloting two Volvo VNR Electric trucks in its commercial operations, demonstrating the ability for battery-electric trucks to reliably transport goods under a variety of operating conditions. (Earlier post.)

Our experience with the Volvo LIGHTS project was a major factor in NFI’s decision to purchase VNR Electric trucks for our drayage operations. NFI started our electrification transition because we are committed to sustainability initiatives across our operations, and we are continuing to invest in Volvo Trucks because of the proven viability and success we have had operating the Volvo VNR Electrics in our real-world routes.

—Bill Bliem, senior vice president of fleet services at NFI

The 60 trucks ordered by NFI are the next generation enhanced Volvo VNR Electric model with a six-battery-pack configuration, which provides an operational range of up to 275 miles. (Earlier post.) The enhanced Volvo VNR Electric, which began production in Q2 2022, also reduces the required charging time, as the 250 kW charging capability provides an 80% charge in 90 minutes.

Twenty of the trucks will be deployed as part of the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, or JETSI project. Led by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and jointly financed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), the JETSI project will help significantly advance market penetration of zero‐emission heavy‐duty trucks and pave the way for freight logistics fleets to achieve emission reductions at scale.

Thirty of the trucks will be deployed with funding support from California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The HVIP project was launched by CARB as part of California Climate Investments to accelerate commercialization of battery-electric trucks by providing first-come first-served incentives to make advanced vehicles more affordable.

Ten of the trucks are part of the SWITCH-ON project, a grant to Volvo Trucks to deploy battery-electric trucks in Southern California for regional freight distribution and drayage. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Targeted Air Shed Grant Program is providing the funding, supplemented by the South Coast AQMD for charging infrastructure, to improve air quality in the region.

The infrastructure to support NFI’s zero‐emission fleet is being developed by Electrify America as part of the announcement made with NFI at ACT Expo 2021 to build the nation’s largest heavy-duty electric truck charging infrastructure project. The project will provide 19 350 kW ultra-fast chargers with 38 dispensers to support NFI’s growing battery-electric drayage fleet that serves the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.