SALT LAKE CITY — A 109-year-old, family-owned paper company has become the first in Utah to purchase a Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 tractor.
Volvo Trucks North America Regional Vice President for the Western U.S. Jared Ruiz said that PaperBox “is a prime example of an established company that is changing the way they operate to be a good environmental steward for future generations. In addition to supporting Utah PaperBox, our dealer partner Mountain West Truck Center will support other customers in the region in deploying battery-electric trucks as the dealership completes our rigorous accreditation process to become the first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) dealership in the state.”
The six-battery configuration Volvo VNR Electric offers a range of up to 275 miles, enabling the company to service its high-traffic delivery routes between Provo, Utah, Ogden, Utah, and Salt Lake City, a news release stated.
Charging infrastructure for the Volvo VNR Electric is expected to be installed by April in preparation for the truck’s arrival at Utah PaperBox’s Salt Lake City facility. The 150 kW chargers will provide the Volvo VNR Electric truck with an 80% charge in about 90 minutes and will utilize its existing solar power to avoid off-peak costs for charging from the grid, the news release noted.
As part of its overall sustainability initiatives, the family-run paper company has made significant investments in solar energy, previously installing 1,000 solar panels that generate up to 1100 kWh per day. The solar panels also provide power to 40 kWh charging stations for employees’ personal electric vehicles at its facility.
“My daughter is the fifth generation of our family to join the business, so we understand the vital importance of protecting the air quality in the community where we have lived and worked for decades,” said Steve Keyser, president of PaperBox. “We are proud to be the first company in Utah to deploy a Volvo VNR Electric, and our driver is wild with excitement at the chance to drive the battery-electric truck. I predict we will not be the only company making the transition, not just from an environmental standpoint, but for the many business advantages offered.”
PaperBox purchased its 6-hy-2 Class 8 battery-electric truck through the Utah Clean Diesel Program, an incentive offered through the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to offset costs for clean fleet transition. The funding program required the company to dispose of one of its Class 8 diesel trucks in its fleet to be replaced with the Volvo VNR Electric.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
