Canadian shipping and delivery firm Purolator has announced plans to invest around C$1 billion (about $725 million U.S., at current exchange rates) to electrify its network in the country over the next seven years.
According to the company, the commitment marks the largest network investment in its history, with more than $100 million to be invested in 2023 alone.
The investment plan includes purchasing more than 3,500 fully electric last-mile delivery vehicles and electrifying over 60 terminals across Canada, Purolator says. This move towards environmental sustainability is expected to reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in 2030 by 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, it adds.
Purolator plans to add more than 100 all-electric vehicles to its fleet this year and an additional 150 in 2024, comprising Motiv Power Systems EPIC4, Ford E-Transit and BrightDrop Zevo 600 models.
It plans to start deploying 25 Ford E-Transit vans in London, Ontario; Richmond, British Columbia; and Quebec City beginning this month. A further 55 Motiv and 15 BrightDrop models, along with several low-speed vehicles and electric cargo bikes (e-bikes), will be added later this year.
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The company has set a science-based goal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 42 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
To achieve this goal, the company plans to electrify 60 percent of its last-mile delivery vehicles, invest in alternative-fuels and low-carbon technologies, use renewable sources for electricity, and divert more than 70 percent of its waste from landfill.
“Purolator was the first Canadian courier to launch fully electric curbside-delivery trucks nationally,” said John Ferguson, President and CEO of Purolator. “We’ve set ambitious goals for ourselves and are working with our customers and partners every day to reduce our carbon footprint and protect our environment.”
As the trucking and commercial fleet industry looks to decarbonize, the industry association North American Council for Freight Efficiency is tracking the performance and fleets which are either piloting or converting to electric trucks and charging infrastructure. NACFE will present some extensive reporting and findings on those sectors during T&D World Live, happening Sept. 12-14 in Sacramento, California.
