Orange EV, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer with the most heavy-duty zero-emission trucks in operation in the United States, announced the delivery of its 500th electric yard truck. Founded in 2012 and first deployed in 2015, Orange EV has deployed more yard trucks than all its competitors combined according to CALSTART, a non-profit dedicated to the growth of clean transportation technologies.
The 500th Orange EV truck was purchased by United Natural Foods, the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of health and specialty food in the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1976, UNFI has been at the forefront of transforming the food industry through scale, service, and sustainability. The company is adding eight Orange EV trucks to its fleet within the next month. With these additions, UNFI will have 10 Orange EV trucks operating in its U.S. fleet.
“Since the first Orange EV trucks were placed in service, we have been very happy with the performance, reliability, ROI, and environmental impact they are making,” said Jeff Wismans, National Director of Fleet Operations, at UNFI. “It made it an easy decision to add eight more.”
This Orange EV milestone demonstrates the trucking industry’s focus on eliminating diesel fuel and emissions and the significant role yard trucks play in the supply chain and transportation logistics. It comes on the heels of a $35 million institutional funding investment in Orange EV led by S2G Ventures and CCI, an affiliate of Henry Crown and Company, the expansion of the Orange EV yard truck rental program nationwide, and the announcement of plans to move to a much larger production facility to keep pace with demand. Orange EV yard trucks are now moving goods in 30 states and being operated by more than 140 fleets.
“Orange EV’s launch in 2012 with just $50,000 in our coffers was met with a healthy dose of skepticism, but we were determined to prove that zero emission yard trucks are the real deal,” said Wayne Mathisen, Co-Founder and CEO, Orange EV. “With this historic milestone, Orange EV has accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of generating excitement about EV trucks within the commercial trucking space, and we did it by manufacturing trucks that are superior operationally, financially, and environmentally. Our trucks are safer, more reliable, save our customers money vs. diesel, and are preferred by drivers and management alike.”
The data shows that yard trucks are one of the fastest converting truck types to fully electric, with Orange EV. The reasons for this rapid uptake are clear. Orange EV has proven that the financial savings are significant versus diesel fuel and diesel truck repairs, the truck’s reliability and uptime are far superior to diesel versions, and the emissions reductions are a key benefit for drivers and the environment. Over a 15-year lifespan, a Tier 3 diesel engine operating 6,000 hours per year at 2.5 gallons per hour can emit:
- 25 tons NOx
- 23 tons CO
- 1,200 kg PM
- 2,500 tons CO2
Orange EV trucks, on the other hand, have zero emissions and use the cleanest, most efficient, and lowest cost fuel source.
“The unsung heroes of supply chain and logistics, yard trucks are typically used to move trailers and containers in distribution centers, rail intermodals, ports, and a range of other facilities where uninterrupted movement is mission critical,” said Orange EV Co-founder and CTO Kurt Neutgens. “Orange EV zero-emission trucks do the same work as their diesel-powered counterparts while eliminating the diesel fuel and emissions that are endangering people’s health and our climate. Orange EV was the first in this space and will continue to lead the industry with more innovative offerings that build on the success of our current line of EV yard trucks.”
