NFI Industries (CCJ Top 250, No. 21) confirmed this week that it’s on track to have the first zero-emission fleet location in the U.S. following a commitment to acquire dozens of all-electric Class 8 trucks.
As part of the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI), sponsored by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), NFI will add 30 Volvo VNR Electric tractors and 30 Freightliner eCascadias at its warehouse location in Ontario, Calif. by the end of 2023.
“We're excited. We are definitely excited,” said NFI senior vice president of fleet services Bill Bliem who added that NFI will also be “putting in the first [fleet operated] electric tractor maintenance facility.”
[Related: Schneider places big eCascadia order; Hino rolls out new Class 8 fuel cell]
The trucks will run round trips to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles where NFI ranks as the largest drayage operator. The runs average 130 miles round trip, which posed problems for their current VNR Electrics and Freightliner eCascadias if they pushed for a second round trip without charging.
Thirty Freightliner eCascadias will also be added to NFI's fleet at its warehouse location in Ontario, Calif.
