Volvo Trucks North America has delivered its first Class 8 battery-electric regional hauling truck to an East Coast customer. Manhattan Beer Distributors has taken ownership of the first of five Volvo VNR Electric models it has ordered from the Greensboro-based truck maker.
The New York City-based beer and beverage distributor operates a fleet of more than 400 trucks throughout the city.
“Volvo Trucks commends Manhattan Beer Distributors for continuing two decades of leadership in bringing the most advanced and sustainable commercial trucks to New York City,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “By working together with customers like Manhattan Beer Distributors that are dedicated to reducing their environmental impact, Volvo Trucks has been able to make meaningful progress on the path toward wide-scale commercial deployment of VNR Electrics from coast to coast.”
Manhattan Beer Distributors began building a low-emission fleet in the 1990s, which includes more than 160 Volvo VNR and VNL CNG Class 8 trucks. To support the charging of its coming battery-electric fleet, the company has installed three Level 3 DC fast chargers at its Bronx facility, which can fully recharge its Volvo VNR Electric trucks up to 80% in 70 minutes. Manhattan Beer Distributors’ battery-electric trucks were the first Volvo VNR Electric models to enter full serial production at the company’s New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia, which assembles all Volvo trucks sold in North America.
“As one of the largest beverage distributors in the U.S., Manhattan Beer Distributors recognizes the broad sustainability impact that we can make by eliminating our fleet’s tailpipe emissions,” said Simon Bergson, founder, president and CEO of Manhattan Beer Distributors. “Volvo Trucks has long supported our sustainability goals and demonstrated that their low- and zero-emission truck lineup provides the safety, performance, and reliability we’ve come to expect.”
The purchase by Manhattan Beer Distributors helped spur development of a regional sales and service network for the Volvo VNR Electric, led by Volvo Trucks dealership Milea Truck Sales and Leasing. Serving New York City and the tri-state area, Milea is Volvo Trucks’ first East Coast Volvo EV Certified Dealer.
“We look forward to gaining hands-on experience with our first five VNR Electrics and working with Volvo Trucks and local Volvo Trucks dealership Milea Truck Sales and Leasing to continue expanding our zero-emission fleet," said Barry Milea, president of Milea Truck Sales and Leasing.
Volvo Trucks joins sister company, Greensboro-based Mack Trucks, in electrifying heavy truck fleets in the Big Apple. The New York City Department of Transportation announced in June that it has ordered seven Mack LR Electric refuse trucks, one each to be deployed in each of the department’s seven service districts.
