Scottish Wholesale Association and Volvo Trucks have teamed up to trial electric vehicles and to accelerate electrification across the sector.
The partnership aims to boost uptake, and identify, highlight, and eliminate barriers to low-carbon transport solutions in Scotland’s wholesale industry and wider food and drink sector.
SWA members are participating in the pilot that features Volvo’s electric 19t curtainsider truck with rear tail lift.
Ylva Haglund, SWA head of sustainability and engagement, said: “We are committed to supporting our members on their journey to a more environmentally sustainable future as we accelerate the transition to net zero and progress towards a circular economy.
“Our aim is to inspire and facilitate action and increase awareness of the ways in which our members can move towards fleet decarbonisation and a further seven SWA members have already signed up to participate in the trial.”
Garry Whitelock, truck sales director for North and Scotland at Volvo Trucks, said: “We’ve been working with SWA for some time now and in March we partnered with the association to hold an Electric Vehicle Experience event to offer members detailed insight into the electric vehicle and infrastructure market.
“This provided participants with an opportunity to drive one of the UK’s first all-electric HGVs and also provide access to Volvo engineers who were able to answer questions about EV technology.
“We’re very much looking forward to strengthening our relationship with the SWA and its members as we seek to achieve common goals surrounding our environmental and sustainability targets.”
Last year, the SWA launched its Decarbonisation of the Wholesale Sector project as part of ambitious plans to decarbonise the wholesale food supply chain and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, or earlier.
