A&R Logistics says it is “doubling down” on its commitment to sustainability, safety and innovation with the purchase of two of the first production Peterbilt Model 579 electric vehicles (EVs) to roll off the assembly line.
The company will have the new trucks on the road this year, making A&R one of the first to put the state-of-the-art production vehicles into service.
PACCAR’s comprehensive EV infrastructure offerings made the decision to add the new 579EVs to A&R’s fleet easier, the company said. PACCAR is the parent company of Peterbilt, and by working with PACCAR Parts and their electric infrastructure partners at Schneider Electric and Faith Technologies, A&R was able to design a sophisticated charging infrastructure to prepare its facilities for the electric vehicles. The rapid charging technology will help A&R maximize use of the trucks.
“Being early adopters of electric vehicle technology demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and technology,” said Chris Ball, A&R president. “Once we made the decision to add EVs to our fleet, Peterbilt and PACCAR were the obvious choice. Our collaborative work really shined at every stage of the process as our maintenance team, led by Troy Basso, was proud to help customize the truck to best meet the needs of our business and our customers.
“We’ve had a long and fruitful relationship in the past with both Peterbilt and PACCAR and are proud to be taking this step together as we look to the future.”
The Model 579EV features all of the aerodynamic benefits, driver comforts and safety measures for which the Model 579 is known for, and is designed for optimal weight distribution and performance, the manufacturer said. The fully integrated, all-electric powertrain in the Model 579EV uses thermally controlled Lithium Iron Phosphate battery packs to provide a range up to 150 miles.
“Peterbilt is leading the charge when it comes to battery electric commercial vehicles, and to see A&R utilize our complete charging infrastructure and Model 579EV to add electric trucks to their fleet is more validation of that fact,” said Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president. “Peterbilt and our 400-plus-strong dealer network are committed to helping our customers achieve their zero emissions goals.”
Go to ardoingitright.com/about-us-2/safety to learn more about A&R’s sustainability initiatives.