Giant Food has unveiled its new Giant Delivers electric step vans, which can cover 105 miles with a single charge, as the company transitions its 128-vehicle fleet, based in Hanover, Md., to include more electric vehicles over the next several years. The two vans are projected to displace more than 210,000 gallons of petroleum and a provide a 63% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime.
The vehicles will help Giant Delivers drivers serve customers throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware with daily deliveries. Use of the vehicles will allow drivers to bypass fuel stops while making their daily deliveries.
The Landover, Md.-headquartered Giant Food purchased its EVs from Motiv Power Systems, a San Francisco Bay Area provider of medium duty all-electric trucks and buses that are made in the U.S. The vehicles provide the same grocery storage capacity as their traditional counterparts but produce zero emissions and operate quietly.
“Cleaner transportation is part of Giant’s larger sustainability efforts and commitment to supporting the local environment,” said Joe Urban, VP of Distribution Operations at Giant Food in a statement. “We are excited to bring these vehicles into our Giant Delivers fleet and kick off the transition to all-electric delivery.”
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Deployment of the vehicles was funded through a grant awarded to Giant Foods by the Clean Fuels Incentive Program (CFIP) and managed by the Maryland Energy Administration. The initiative was implemented to promote clean, ecologically sound transportation within Maryland.
Interest in EVs for last-mile initiatives is growing, with the technology being adopted by big names including:
