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Southern California is witnessing the roll-out of Amazon’s largest fleet of heavy-duty electric trucks, marking a significant stride in the company’s global sustainability efforts. Nearly 50 of these electric vehicles are now operational within the region, tasked with the transport of cargo containers and customer parcels. This deployment is seen as a pivotal element in Amazon’s broader strategy to achieve decarbonization across all stages of its delivery process, particularly the first, middle, and last mile logistics.
Key Highlights:
- Deployment of nearly 50 electric trucks in Southern California, marking the largest regional fleet of such vehicles.
- Integration into Amazon’s complex logistics network, covering first-mile ocean freight operations and middle-mile deliveries between fulfillment nodes.
- Support from extensive charging infrastructure, with over 45 DC fast chargers installed across 11 sites.
- Annual travel expectation of over 1 million miles with zero tailpipe emissions.
In detail, these electric trucks, primarily operating in the first mile or global logistics phase, transport goods from their production points through a series of transfers culminating at Amazon facilities. The initial rollout includes electric drayage trucks at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which convey containers to an Amazon site in Santa Fe Springs, California. Here, goods are prepared for the subsequent journey phases—significantly, the middle mile.
For the middle mile, which involves transferring customer orders among Amazon’s numerous logistic centers, 35 heavy-duty electric vehicles have been introduced. This phase bridges the gap between inbound logistics and last-mile delivery to customers, a critical segment in reducing overall carbon emissions.
“We’re proud to launch our largest fleet of electric heavy-duty vehicles yet in California,” said Udit Madan, vice president of Worldwide Amazon Operations. “Heavy-duty trucking is a particularly difficult area to decarbonize, which makes us all the more excited to have these vehicles on the road today.”
Governor Gavin Newsom praised California’s leadership in climate initiatives, stating, “No other state has created the kind of environment where Amazon and other businesses can lead on sustainability and take major steps forward like deploying this fleet of electric trucks.”
Safety and efficiency in design are hallmarks of the Volvo VNR Electric trucks used by Amazon. With a range of up to 275 miles and equipped with advanced safety features such as collision mitigation and lane keeping assist, these trucks align with both environmental and operational safety standards.
Beyond trucking, Amazon is also investing in alternative fuels like green hydrogen and biofuels, further supporting the advancement of sustainable technologies through strategic investments in startups such as Amogy and Infinium.
This initiative is part of a broader scope of renewable energy projects spearheaded by Amazon in California, aiming to match 100% of its operational electricity needs with renewable sources by 2025, thereby supporting community sustainability and generating employment through green energy initiatives.
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