ROSEMONT, Ill. – US Foods Holding Corp., a leading foodservice distributor in the United States, announced on Monday that it has taken delivery of its first battery-electric powered Freightliner eCascadia trucks at its distribution center located in La Mirada, California. The company’s fleet in the same location will add 30 more electric trucks in 2023, following the previous announcement.
This move is part of US Foods’ initiative to decrease the carbon footprint of its growing fleet and will help the company meet its near-term emissions reduction goals. The company recently received approval from the Science Based Targets initiative for its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. US Foods is committed to decreasing absolute Scopes 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 32.5 percent by 2032 from a 2019 baseline, and 67 percent of its suppliers by emissions will have science-based targets by 2027.
The new zero-emission battery-electric trucks will help reduce harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions throughout Southern California. The battery-electric Class 8 Freightliner eCascadia single eAxle truck is capable of producing up to 395 horsepower (296 kilowatts) and has an estimated range of 230 miles. The vehicles also come equipped with a Detroit ePowertrain for maximum torque, quick acceleration on the road, and new safety and connectivity features from Detroit Assurance and Detroit Connect.
US Foods’ vice president of fleet and sustainability, Dan Bennett, said, “Our ongoing investment in alternative fuel vehicles is a testament to our dedication to reducing the environmental footprint of our growing fleet. We are thrilled to celebrate this meaningful milestone as we continue to increase the sustainability of our operations.”
In addition to deploying electric trucks, the company plans to reduce GHG emissions by optimizing routing to reduce miles driven, deploying new vehicle technology, and investing in alternative fuels like compressed natural gas, renewable natural gas, and renewable diesel fuel. The company also intends to construct charging infrastructure at its La Mirada distribution center to power its electric fleet, with NextEra Energy Resources providing charging installation services, and Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready Transport Program will provide the electrical supply infrastructure for the site.
To achieve this significant milestone, US Foods received support from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, EPA’s Targeted Airshed Grant Program, and the California Air Resources Board’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project. Furthermore, additional support was obtained from California Energy Commission’s EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles Project, Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready Transport Program, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC., and Doggett Freightliner.
David Carson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at DTNA, expressed pride in contributing to US Foods’ strong sustainability objectives by providing the Freightliner eCascadia to their fleet. He said, “Together, industry leaders like our two companies will continue to shape a brighter, cleaner future.”
