Dive Brief:
- PGT Trucking purchased its first Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicle (BEV) semi-truck, the carrier said Thursday. The purchase comes alongside a previous arrangement to lease 100 of Nikola Corp.’s electric trucks, which the transportation firm expects to arrive this year.
- The carrier, which offers flatbed, dedicated, international and specialized services, said it will immediately use the truck, chiefly along local, dedicated routes. The addition comes as customers have a need for sustainable solutions, Gregg Troian, PGT Trucking president, said in a news release.
- Troian said that his company is “utilizing innovative technology and zero-emissions equipment to provide progressive transportation services for our customers, enhanced lifestyle benefits for our drivers and sustainable shipping methods for the environment.”
Dive Insight:
PGT Trucking seeks to reduce carbon emissions from its fleet by 35% by 2025, aligning with a Biden administration push for zero-emission vehicle production by 2040.
Its newly created Research and Development Department has been examining new uses for the battery-electric truck, analyzing the adoption of more environmentally helpful practices.
Other companies making moves with sustainability strategies include Beyond Meat seeking to scale electric trucks in the U.S. over a five-year period, according to a 2022 announcement; J.B. Hunt announcing in April a carbon offset credit program for its intermodal customers; and Tesla delivering electric trucks to PepsiCo in December.
In June, PGT Trucking announced the appointment of a new executive position to lead its decarbonization efforts: Laurence Cox, vice president of sustainability, is running the carrier’s new Research and Development Department.
“We are working to align ourselves with [customers’] green energy commitments,” Troian said in the release. “With the purchase of the Nikola Tre BEV, PGT is prepared to meet these demands.”
