Coke Canada Bottling has unveiled its first Volvo VNR Electric trucks as part of a six-truck pilot project of electric vehicles in the Greater Montreal Area.
The trucks mark the latest investment under the company’s Toward a Better Future Together plan, which also includes electrifying light-duty service vehicles and using alternative fuel sources.
The VNR Electric’s debut came during a fifth birthday for Coke Canada Bottling’s distribution center in east Montreal, home to more than 650 heavy-duty vehicles.
Volvo Trucks North America president Peter Voorhoeve (left) joins Stephen du Toit, president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola Canada Bottling, as the beverage manufacturer takes delivery of Volvo VNR Electric trucks. (Photo: Volvo)
“Our global brand and this Canadian, family-owned business are well aligned on rapidly advancing environmental sustainability action plans,” Volvo Trucks North America president Peter Voorhoeve said in a press release.
“We look forward to supporting Coke Canada Bottling as they test out feasibility through this pilot.”
“Piloting the electrification of some of our ‘Red Fleet’ — an iconic presence on the roads of our country — underscores our ambition to be the leading beverage partner in Canada by earning our social licence to operate,” said Todd Parsons, chief executive officer at Coca-Cola Canada Bottling.
The trucks feature six-battery configurations that can cover up to 440 km on a single charge, supporting 150-km round trips between the company’s distribution center and customer locations. Their 565-kWh battery capacity can be recharged up to 80% in 90 minutes.
The company has also installed three 150 kW DC chargers with nine dispensers at its Montreal Distribution Center to support drive-through charging for the trucks.
