Trucking news and briefs for Monday, June 22, 2020:
Volvo’s electric VNRVolvo deploys first electric VNR truck
Volvo Trucks announced last week it has deployed its first pilot electric VNR truck in Southern California as part of the Volvo Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions (LIGHTS) project.
The truck will operate at the Volvo Trucks North America TEC Equipment dealership in Fontana, California, transporting parts locally between TEC Equipment dealerships in Fontana and La Mirada.
“Volvo Trucks is proud to lead the way in the sustainable electrification of freight movement. Working with our dealership, TEC Equipment, to pilot the first Volvo VNR Electric on the road and in real-world applications is an exciting step toward our plans to commercialize these zero-emission trucks in North America this fall,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “The all-electric Volvo VNR will become the ideal truck model for short- and regional-haul applications, such as urban distribution and drayage.”
Starting in 2021, Southern California businesses will have the opportunity to lease Volvo VNR Electric trucks from TEC Equipment to gain firsthand experience with these advanced trucks in their fleet operations.
As part of the Volvo LIGHTS project, two local fleets —NFI Industries and Dependable Supply Chain Services—will also begin a pilot of the Volvo VNR Electric trucks for full operations in their regional routes later this summer.
Landstar giving away 2020 Freightliner in annual ‘All-Star’ event
Landstar System will hold its 2020 All-Star Truck Giveaway on Wednesday, July 8, in an online Zoom video conference. During the event, the company will give away a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia to one of four owner-operator finalists.
The four finalists are:
- Jacob Bons, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois – 1 Million Mile Safe Driver
- Almir Ferhatbegovic, of Knoxville, Tennessee – 1 Million Mile Safe Driver new inductee
- Robert Jordan, of Soso, Mississippi – 1 Million Mile Safe Driver and Landstar Roadstar
- Bill Williamson, of Atoka, Tennessee – 1 Million Mile Safe Driver
The Freightliner up for grabs is Viper Blue and features a Detroit DD15 with a Detroit DT12 automated transmission.
This year’s finalists were randomly drawn from a pool of Landstar’s 1,086 active 1 Million Mile, 2 Million Mile and 3 Million Mile Safe Drivers and Roadstars. The Roadstar designation is the company’s highest honor for owner-operators awarded to the “best of the best” based on their high levels of safety, productivity and excellence in customer service.
Electric powertrain manufacturer merges with acquisition company
Hyliion, a manufacturer of electric powertrains for Class 8 trucks, announced its plans to merge with Tortoise Acquisition Corp., an acquisition company that focuses on the energy sector and “decarbonizing commercial transportation in North America,” Hyliion said.
Once the transaction is closed, the company will become Hyliion Holdings Corp. and will remain on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol “HYLN.”
Hyliion said the merger will help drive corporate expansion and further development of its electric powertrains.
If the transaction goes through, Hyliion founder and CEO Thomas Healy will continue as CEO of the combined company and will be joined by Hyliion’s executive team: Patrick Sexton, CTO; Greg Van de Vere, CFO; and Michael Camp, COO. The board will consist of existing members from both Hyliion and Tortoise.
