Kruger puts electric trucks on the road

Kruger Energy is proud to be one of the pioneers as its two 100 percent electric semi-trailer trucks have started to carry materials and  tissue products, between two Kruger Products facilities in Québec.

These are among the first all-electric class 8 vehicles operating in Canada, and the first in the Canadian tissue industry. The vehicles have been branded with visuals illustrating Kruger Energy’s activities related to the development and management of renewable energy power assets.

“We are excited to take our first steps in transport electrification, a goal that aligns perfectly with Kruger Energy’s mission to develop renewable energy solutions that are beneficial to the environment and our communities. The data collected from the electric truck batteries will help further expand our expertise in energy storage, which is critical to renewable energy production. Also, we are already planning to expand our fleet of alternatively fuelled vehicles,” said Jean Roy, chief operating officer of Kruger Energy.

The two Peterbilt 579EV electric trucks will replace one standard diesel truck and will enable the company to reduce its GHG emissions by 380 tons of CO₂ per year, which is equivalent to removing about 90 passenger cars from our roads. Reduction of fossil fuel use will amount to 150,000 litres per year for each truck.

The trucks are operating 20 hours a day, seven days a week, travelling at full capacity more than 1,000 km between the two facilities daily or 365,000 km each year. Besides the positive impact on air quality, these zero-emission trucks will also help to reduce noise pollution with their quiet all-electric powertrain.

“When we embarked on Reimagine 2030, Kruger Products’ sustainability strategy, we knew that we had to dig even deeper to find viable sustainable solutions allowing us to continue to grow as a business, while also shrinking our environmental footprint,” added Dino Bianco, CEO, Kruger Products.

“These two electric vehicles represent the first of many steps we are taking to continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”

Kruger aims to electrify a large part of its fleet in the coming years. The company has ordered 50 additional electric trucks, of which 15 to 20 should hit the road within the next 24 months. The addition trucks will be coming from Lion Electric, Paccar, Peterbilt and Tesla.

“We decided to use several suppliers, as none had the capacity to deliver the desired number of vehicles in a timeline that met our needs,” said Paule Veilleux-Turcotte, Kruger’s director of communications, in an email.

“We would like to commend the excellent work of Peterbilt since the start of our collaboration. We would like to thank them for making it possible for us to successfully start electrifying our truck fleet.”

Kruger Energy acquired its own charging stations, which allows it to collect information about the vehicles’ performance. The company plans to offer fleet electrification services to other companies looking to increase sustainable modes of transport within their supply chain.

This goal aligns perfectly with Kruger and its subsidiaries’ commitment to keep reducing their environmental impact. Early in 2021, Kruger Products became the first tissue company to sign the Canada Plastics Pact, and the company continues to invest in different opportunities to enhance its energy and GHG efficiency at its plants across Canada and the U.S.