Volvo VNR Electric customer expands fleet for McDonald's deliveries

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Volvo VNR Electric delivery fleet for McDonald's
The zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric tractor (pictured above) has already been pulling McDonald’s-branded trailers for deliveries to McDonald’s restaurants in the Montreal area. Volvo electric vehicles are now expanding into the greater Toronto area.
Volvo Trucks North America

Volvo Trucks North America and Martin Brower, a major supplier provider for global restaurant chains have jointly announced that the latter has taken delivery of 10 additional Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 tractors. Each vehicle will be supporting food and beverage deliveries for McDonald's restaurants in the greater Montreal and Toronto areas. 

“It’s exciting to see a powerhouse brand like McDonald’s working with their partners to help decarbonize the transportation of goods,” said Matthew Blackman, managing director for Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “It’s a testament to the performance and reliability of the Volvo VNR Electric that these global leaders are choosing to scale their trial of battery-electric vehicles where feasible.”

[Related: Volvo's electric trucks complete 50 million miles of driving]

Martin Brower, as one of the region's big distribution players, is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint in Canada, so the decision to incorporate the VNR Electric into its fleet was a no-brainer. McDonald's is equally committed to this goal. A trial run using these vehicles began in 2022 for the Montreal area and has since been deemed a success. 

“After two years with the battery-electric Volvo VNR tractor on the road, we are pleased to see more electric vehicles added to the fleet serving McDonald’s restaurants in the trial areas, as we work towards our global pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050” said Hope Bentley, head of supply chain, McDonald’s Canada. “Even though customers won’t notice any difference in their favorite order, McDonald’s is taking action behind the scenes to help make an impact in the communities we serve, for the planet we share.”

Martin Brower has been a longtime distributor for the fast food restaurant chain, beginning its partnership in 1956. The expansion into electrified and other low-emission vehicles was the logical next step. 

[Related: Volvo Trucks teases battery-electric VNL]

“McDonald’s has been a like-minded collaborator for many decades with aligned goals,” said Julie Dell’Aniello, president, Martin Brower Canada. “Together, our companies share similar commitments to test alternative-fuel vehicles.”

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The distributor says it worked closely with Vision Truck Group, a Canadian-based Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer, to spec the most ideal configuration by taking into account critical factors like routes in the Montreal area.

The dealer utilized the Electric Performance Generator (EPG) tool to identify the preferred VNR Electric configurations for Martin Brower to best service McDonald’s restaurants in the test market.

The EPG takes into consideration specific route details, such as traffic patterns and environmental factors. The electric vehicles based in the Baie d’Urfé distribution center will be serviced by Camions Volvo Montreal, which assisted Martin Brower with its first 6x4 configuration VNR Electric tractor during the trial run. The electric vehicles operating in the greater Toronto area will be serviced by Vision Truck Group.

Jay Traugott has covered the automotive and transportation sector for over a decade and now serves as Senior Editor for Clean Trucking. He holds a drifting license and has driven on some of the world's best race tracks, including the Nurburgring and Spa. He lives near Boulder, Colorado, and spends his free time snowboarding, climbing, and hiking. He can be reached at [email protected].

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