Affinity Truck Center Delivers First Volvo VNR Electric Trucks to Central Valley’s Producers Dairy

Central Valley’s own Producers Dairy will now deliver their farm-to-table freshness with zero-tailpipe emissions through the addition of two fully electric Class 8 vehicles into their fleet. These are the first commercial, battery-electric Class 8 trucks deployed in California’s Central Valley and were showcased today at the Producers Dairy headquarters in Fresno.

Producers Dairy’s joined the Affinity Truck Center family three years ago in the interest of fuel efficiency. Their continual interest in sustainability made them the perfect fleet to consider leading edge Volvo VNR EV technology.  Producers Dairy and Affinity Truck Center simultaneously reached for a greener future with investments in facility infrastructure, charging and the training essentials to operate and service electric vehicles.

“Deploying battery-electric fleet trucks can be a complex process that requires a customer to engage numerous stakeholders and begin planning 12 to 18 months in advance for charging infrastructure needs,” said Kim Mesfin, president, Affinity Truck Center. “As a Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer, we are ready to support fleets throughout the Central Valley with their electromobility goals—including identifying ideal routes and vehicle configurations, support with incentive funding, identifying infrastructure partners, and maximizing vehicle uptime through the Volvo Gold Contract.”

“We are excited to integrate these first two Volvo VNR Electric trucks into our fleet as we work to reduce emissions on our local delivery routes,” said Scott Shehadey president, Producers Dairy. “This investment in zero-tailpipe emission technology aligns with our corporate mission to enhance the quality of people’s lives, and we are grateful to each of the organizations that supported us with today’s successful vehicle deployment, including Volvo Trucks, Affinity Truck Center, the California Air Resources Board, and AMPLY Power.”

Affinity Truck Center presented a funding opportunity to Producers Dairy in March of 2021 through the California Air Resource Board (CARB) GGFR Zero Emissions Drayage Truck Project as part of the California Climate Investments. South Coast AQMD administered this project with contributions from San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD).  In total, Producers Dairy was granted a total of $1.25 million to purchase two Volvo VNR Electric trucks, install the supporting charging infrastructure, and develop a digital solution concept to monitor charging infrastructure, optimize energy costs, maximize charger uptime, streamline workflow, and integrate battery-electric trucks into fleet management.

“The deployment of two zero-emission electric trucks at Producers Dairy’s Fresno-based manufacturing facility shows how companies can make innovative, real-world steps to improving air quality in the Central Valley region,” said Tania Pacheco-Werner, CARB member representing the SJVAPCD. “I applaud the project partners for their collaboration on getting these fully electric trucks on the road and look forward to seeing Producers Dairy utilize the lessons learned from this deployment to scale up its battery-electric fleet and charging infrastructure in the future.”

The Volvo VNR Electric model was designed as a sustainable transportation solution for local and regional distribution, pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution. The two Volvo VNR Electric units will be the first Class 8 battery-electric vehicles in the company’s fleet of more than 300 trucks and will service regional distribution routes from its Fresno-based manufacturing facility to grocery stores in communities along the 40-mile stretch of Highway 99 from Selma to Madera, California.

“Through the deployment of its first two Volvo VNR Electrics, Producers Dairy is truly leading by example on the path to a more environmentally friendly future, which is at the core of the company’s mission,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “Our team is grateful for the investment that our dealer partner, Affinity Truck Center, made in becoming the Central Valley’s first Volvo Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer to provide Producers Dairy and other customers in the region with premium support to maximize the uptime of their Volvo VNR Electric trucks.”

Producers Dairy worked with AMPLY Power to design and install the supporting charging infrastructure for its Volvo VNR Electric trucks and utilizes AMPLY’s OMEGA digital solution to monitor charging infrastructure, optimize energy costs, and maximize charger and vehicle uptime. The Fresno dairy processing facility includes two 150 kW DC fast chargers and the ability to scale for increased capacity in the future. AMPLY Power will work with Producers Dairy to maximize charging efficiency and cost-effectiveness with intelligent charge management services, while ensuring that the trucks are available to complete their mission-critical deliveries.

Affinity Truck Center’s Fresno dealership will support the Producers Dairy fleet with a seamless integration of VNR Electric trucks into its fleet through the Volvo Gold Contract, which incorporates maintenance, full coverage on components, and towing and uptime services. Its service team completed the robust training required as part of the Volvo Certified EV Dealer program and is prepared to perform battery-electric truck maintenance and repairs safely and efficiently.

The Affinity Truck Center sales team can consult with Central Valley fleets considering investing in battery-electric trucks in selecting ideal vehicle configurations by providing access to Volvo’s Electric Performance Generator (EPG) tool, which enables fleet managers to simulate real-world routes for their VNR Electric trucks, taking into consideration the vehicle configuration and battery capacity, environmental factors such as terrain and ambient temperature, and specific route details, including traffic patterns.

To learn more, contact our Technical Sales and Service Director, Chris Paris, at 559-262-1550.