Volvo Trucks North America has announced that Expressway Trucks of Ontario, Canada, has become that province’s first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) Dealer.
Expressway—with locations in the southwestern corridor of the province in Ayr, London, and Windsor—noted that its Waterloo shop is the first to be certified, located near Highway 401, one of the busiest traffic corridors in the country.
“Expressway Trucks continues to be an outstanding dealer partner and is taking a leadership role to expand Volvo VNR Electric deployments in Canada,” said Peter Voorhoeve, the President of Volvo Trucks North America. “We have had great success running Volvo VNR Electrics in the cold Canadian winters in the Quebec region, providing a proof point to other Canadian fleets that battery-electric trucks perform well in extreme temperatures.”
Expressway is a long-time partner of Volvo Trucks and has won the Volvo Dealer of the Year Award three different times, in 2010, 2012, and 2014. The Windsor dealership held an EV demonstration event in early 2022 with strong attendance and interest from its customers.
To support customers in the region with their electromobility journey, the dealership’s sales group continues to take part in the rigorous Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer training program which covers a range of topics—from evaluating the benefits of fleet electrification on current routes to supplying direction in navigating funding and incentive programs.
Two of Expressway Trucks’ technicians have completed the training to safely perform battery-electric truck maintenance and repairs for trucks in operation. To supply comprehensive coverage support and get customers back on the road quickly, the technicians work on two separate shifts. In addition, the dealership maintains a stock of key parts and components for the VNR Electric model and has installed 50 kW Heliox chargers to support battery-electric trucks.
“We realized from the beginning that EVs are going to be a large part of our business going forward and felt the investment required was worth it as customer demand and interest builds,” stated Barry Peters, Volvo's new Truck Sales Manager. “With the recent announcement of substantial rebates for Ontario-based buyers, we expect potential Volvo VNR Electric buyers to become more serious during the next 12 months.”
In July, Canada’s Transport Ministry announced a nearly CDN$550 million (~US$402 million) purchase or lease incentive program for new medium- and heavy-duty zero-tailpipe emission vehicles. Up to CDN$200,000 (~US$146,000) may be awarded for the purchase or lease of an eligible new zero-tailpipe emission vehicle.
Expressway Trucks’ sales team is prepared to consult with regional fleets who are considering investing in the Volvo VNR Electric and provide guidance on maximizing available incentives.
ALSO: Volvo Trucks North America confirmed on September 28, 2022, the expansion of its certified electric vehicle dealer network into America’s Heartland with the certification of Nuss Truck & Equipment’s Roseville, Minnesota location. As the first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle dealer in the US midwest, Nuss is uniquely positioned to assist fleets across both Minnesota and Wisconsin with their electromobility transition.
“Expanding the adoption of battery-electric trucks into the Midwest, beyond the densely populated East and West Coasts is a big next step to ensure accessibility of sustainable transportation across North America,” noted Voorhoeve. “Minnesota is key location to demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the battery-electric drivetrain and components in extreme temperatures, including the cold, snow, and ice of the severe Midwest winters.”
Nuss Truck & Equipment is a third-generation, family-owned company that has grown to be the largest Volvo Trucks dealer in the region. The Roseville location is the first of nine planned Nuss Truck & Equipment locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin to be certified, with its other locations anticipated to follow within the next six to 12 months to be prepared to support their entire customer base in deploying Class 8, zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks.
More information may be found at www.expresswayvolvo.ca and at www.nussgrp.com.