Loblaw rolls out its first battery electric transport truck

Loblaw’s first heavy-duty fully electric transport truck will serve Provigo and Maxi stores in the Greater Montreal Area. Credit Yvette Cakpo (CNW Group/Loblaw Companies Limited)

BRAMPTON — Loblaw Companies Limited says they have achieved a significant milestone in their net-zero carbon emissions strategy, with the rollout of their first heavy-duty fully electric transport truck. The vehicle is a battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia manufactured by Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) – the first series production eCascadia handed over to a customer in Canada, and one of five Loblaw expects to put into service in the months ahead. In 2017, Loblaw pledged that by 2030 it would decarbonize its fleet of more than 160 company-owned day-cab trucks.

The first electric truck will make daily runs between Loblaw’s distribution centre in Boucherville, Quebec, and Loblaw stores in the Greater Montreal Area, which include Provigo, Provigo Le Marche, and Maxi. The trucks will get up to 370 kilometers per charge while hauling up to 82,000 pounds of gradually diminishing gross weight, and will return to the Boucherville distribution centre’s new charging station to recharge daily.

“It’s no secret that vehicle decarbonization is central to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and we want to lead in the adoption of this new technology,” said Brian Springer, VP, National Transport Operations. “For nearly two years, we’ve piloted different vehicles across various parts of our business, and we’re excited to roll-out a solution that works.”

Freightliner’s battery electric eCascadia is ideally suited for short-haul routes that allow for depot-based charging. Extensive development and rigorous testing through several prototypes and customer-tested trucks resulted in a powerful and efficient electric truck with multiple battery and drive axle options, providing a typical range of up to 370 kilometers depending on vehicle configurations.