Amazon is expanding its green initiative in Southern California by incorporating nearly 50 heavy-duty electric trucks into its delivery fleet. These vehicles have been designed with the intent of collectively covering more than a million miles annually, completely devoid of tailpipe emissions.
These high-power electric trucks will be utilized for Amazon's first-mile operations, which involve transporting goods from cargo containers. However, the vehicles' duties will also cover second-mile operations, which include moving customer packages to their respective delivery centers. Finally, the trucks will be tasked with last-mile deliveries, distributing packages throughout the state.
Udit Madan, Vice President of Worldwide Amazon Operations, expressed the company's pride in launching their largest fleet of electric heavy-duty vehicles in California. He admitted that decarbonizing heavy-duty trucking was a challenging task, making the company's accomplishment all the more significant. Amazon anticipates learning from this experience as it continues to explore and invest in ways to reduce emissions within its transportation network. It also hopes to positively influence sustainability within the broader trucking industry.
The electric vehicles, produced by Volvo VNR, will arrive equipped with active collision mitigation, blind-spot detection, and lane departure warnings. These trucks also feature lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.
In its efforts to reach sustainability targets, Amazon previously introduced electric yard tractors in 2019 and specialized electric delivery vans made by Rivian in 2022. The company has also extended its green initiatives to investing in alternative fuels, with the objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.