Volvo Trucks North America customer Rockview Farms deployed two Volvo VNR Electric trucks to support farm to grocer’s shelf deliveries of local California milk throughout the greater Los Angeles area. (Volvo photo)

Volvo Trucks North America customer Rockview Farms, a family owned and operated dairy business in Southern California, deployed two Volvo VNR Electric trucks to support farm-to-customer deliveries of local California milk. The zero-tailpipe emissions battery-electric trucks will help reduce noise and emissions in the neighborhoods surrounding Rockview Farms' facility in Downey, California, which is the central hub for deliveries throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Rockview Farms' Volvo VNR Electric trucks are the final two trucks to be funded through the award-winning Volvo LIGHTS project.

"Volvo Trucks commends Rockview Farms for being a good neighbor that has long demonstrated their commitment to the local community, which they are continuing to support by deploying zero-emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks for their local routes," said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. "Delivering these two trucks to Rockview Farms is a nice closure to the successful Volvo LIGHTS project, which was focused on providing a range of benefits — cleaner air, reduced noise, workforce development opportunities, and more — to Southern California communities through freight electrification."

Volvo Trucks deployed its first Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric trucks to fleet operators in 2019 as part of the Volvo LIGHTS project. Over the next several years, Volvo Trucks North America, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and 12 other organizations designed and implemented a blueprint for the complete ecosystem needed to successfully deploy commercial battery-electric freight trucks, eventually deploying more than 30 of these vehicles in California's South Coast Air Basin.

"Our Downey facility is surrounded by neighborhoods, and as Southern California's hometown dairy since 1927, we strive to be a good neighbor in our hometown. We were excited to receive funding for the Volvo VNR Electric trucks to help reduce emissions from our daily operations, while also reducing noise, as the battery-electric trucks are very quiet," said Curt DeGroot, owner, Rockview Farms. "Our drivers love them for those same reasons. We've had to keep the same drivers on the trucks, because once they drive the Volvo VNR Electric trucks, they don't want to go back to driving anything else."

The Volvo VNR Electric model produces zero-tailpipe emissions and significantly reduces heat, noise, and vibrations, allowing for the quietest and most comfortable experience, leading to greater driver productivity and job satisfaction.

TEC Equipment – La Mirada, a Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer, provides ongoing training to Rockview Farms drivers to help them understand how to optimize the range of the Volvo VNR Electric, including how to leverage regenerative braking benefits to add power back to the battery.

For more information, visit Volvo Trucks North America and the Volvo VNR Electric.

This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.

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