News

First Volvo Trucks EV dealer in Ontario is certified

Sept. 28, 2022

Ontario dealer Expressway Trucks will sell and service Class 8 Volvo VNR electrics as Volvo Trucks North America expands its Canadian presence, anticipating increased buyer interest due to government-funded rebates for electric vehicles.

FleetOwner Staff

Volvo Trucks North America has recently designated Expressway Trucks as a Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) Dealer, signifying that it is ready to support customers interested in adding Volvo VNR Electrics to their local and regional distribution, pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution routes, according to a Volvo press release. The dealership’s Waterloo location is the first to be certified in Ontario, Canada, and is 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, 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 Trucks has two technicians trained to service battery-electric trucks.

Volvo expects buyer interest in EVs to continue to increase due to government incentives. In July, Canada’s transport ministry announced a purchase or lease incentive program of nearly 550 million Canadian dollars ($400 million) for new medium- and heavy-duty zero-tailpipe emission vehicles. Up to 200,000 Canadian dollars may be awarded for the purchase or lease of an eligible new zero-tailpipe emission vehicle. Expressway Trucks’ sales team prepared to consult with regional fleets who are considering investing in the Volvo VNR Electric and provide guidance on maximizing available incentives.

“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,” said Barry Peters, Volvo 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.”

The dealership, which has received the Volvo Dealer of the Year Award three different times (2010, 2012, and 2014), held an EV demo event in early 2022. To prepare to support customers in the region with their electromobility journey, the dealership’s sales group continues to participate in the Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer training program which covers a range of topics—from evaluating the benefits of fleet electrification on current routes to providing direction in navigating funding and incentive programs.

Two of Expressway Trucks’ technicians have completed the training to perform battery-electric truck maintenance and repairs for trucks in operations. To provide 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 parts and components for the VNR Electric model and has installed 50 kW Heliox chargers to support battery-electric trucks.