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Rolling out! Loblaw’s first fully electric heavy-duty truck in Montreal area

April 25, 2023 | By Anthony Capkun



April 25, 2023 – Loblaw Companies Ltd. will be rolling out its first fully electric heavy-duty truck from its warehouse in Boucherville, on Montreal’s South Shore.

“It’s no secret that vehicle decarbonizing is central to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and we want to lead in the adoption of this new technology,” said Patrice Presseau, senior manager, Transportation, for Loblaw in Quebec.

Presseau said the company has been testing different types of vehicles for nearly two years. “[We] are pleased to deliver a solution that works, thereby marking an important milestone in the industry’s evolution towards a more sustainable future.”

The vehicle is a Freightliner eCascadia, manufactured by Daimler Truck North America—the first series production eCascadia handed over to a customer in Canada, and one of the five Loblaw expects to put into service in the months ahead.

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With the rollout of this first battery-electric truck, Loblaw says it is taking another important step toward achieving its goal of net-zero GHG emissions. It pledged to decarbonize its fleet of more than 160 day-cab trucks by 2030.

The battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia is ideal for short-distance trips with the ability to recharge daily, adds Loblaw. The new vehicle will be used to serve Provigo and Maxi stores in the Greater Montreal Area, and will return at the end of the day to the new charging station at the Boucherville distribution centre.

Extensive development and rigorous testing through several prototypes and customer-tested trucks resulted in a powerful and efficient electric truck with multiple battery and drive axle options, says Loblaw, providing a typical range of up to 370 kilometres (depending on vehicle configurations), while hauling up to 82,000 lb of “gradually diminishing gross weight”. A maximum battery capacity of almost 440 kWh can recharge 80% of the truck in about 90 minutes.


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