Orange EV and Oakland Pallet Co., Inc. (OPC) today announced the deployment of an Orange EV T-Series pure electric terminal truck to the Oakland Pallet manufacturing and recycling facility in Modesto, CA. The 100% electric Class 8 truck, charged with on-site solar, moves product on-site and makes local deliveries.
"When purchasing a new truck, we chose electric over diesel for a few reasons, most importantly to reduce emissions in our Modesto community by utilizing our solar array for power instead of diesel combustion," said Carlos Padilla, Vice President and co-owner of Oakland Pallet. “But the beauty of the Orange EV terminal tractor is that it can be used to make local deliveries and pick-ups without tying up a long-distance tractor and driver." Terminal trucks (aka yard trucks, hostlers, spotters, goats) typically operate within the confines of container-handling facilities but can also be plated and registered for on-road use. Orange EV trucks are available in a range of configurations, designed to meet site-specific requirements.
For Oakland Pallet, the decision to deploy electric was both economic and environmental. Conscious of the source and lifecycle of their energy consumption, OPC installed a solar array at the Modesto operation. “Investing in the Orange EV truck was a win-win. It’s charged with on-site solar so doesn’t add to our energy costs, and it eliminates diesel costs and emissions,” commented Samuel Garza, Modesto Plant Manager. “The telematics also save money and time, sending automatic notifications so we can take care of small issues before they become big problems.” All Orange EV trucks are equipped with an onboard telematics system which provides real-time data for operations and reporting.
In addition to upcycling and recycling pallets, Oakland Pallet is committed to sustainability in all aspects of their operations, recovering and downcycling 600,000 cubic yards of carboard, plastic, metal, and wood last year. “Our pallets are always on the move, used to transport products throughout the world. It’s our job to do what we can to minimize our environmental impact,” said Leticia Padilla, OPC’s Sustainability Program Manager. “The Orange EV truck has improved our community and work environment with reduced noise and emissions, and our driver loves that it’s so comfortable and easy to use. The charger was easy to install, and the battery has always had plenty of charge for our operations. Fleets don’t know what they’re missing – heavy duty electric is here, and it works.”
Oakland Pallet utilized funding from the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) to purchase their Orange EV truck. HVIP is currently open, enabling discounts of up to $165,000 per Orange EV terminal truck.
