Mississauga courier company spends $1 billion to electrify its fleet of delivery trucks
Published March 9, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Mississauga-based Purolator Inc. will pay $1 billion to electrify its fleet of delivery vehicles across Canada by 2030, the company announced today (March 9).
The delivery and logistics firm, which is headquartered in the Meadowvale area of the city and employs some 14,000 people nationwide, plans to buy more than 3,500 fully electric last-mile delivery vehicles and electrify more than 60 terminals.
Last-mile vehicles are those that complete the final step in the delivery process, taking parcels from a transportation hub to their final destination.
The move to electric vehicles is part of a major initiative by the courier company, largely owned by Canada Post, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years.
Purolator CEO John Ferguson said the company was also the first Canadian courier to launch fully electric curbside-delivery trucks nationally.
“Our ambition is to be the greenest courier company in Canada and with this investment, Purolator will take yet another important step toward a more sustainable future and healthier planet,” he continued.
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We're planning to invest $1B to electrify our Canadian network by 2030! This includes plans to deploy 3,500 #ElectricVehicles, starting with @FordCanada @Ford E-Transit™, @Motivps EPIC4 and @brightdrop Zevo 600 models hitting the road this year! https://t.co/84JvvNYaiy pic.twitter.com/jVhucgPHXm
— Purolator (@PurolatorInc) March 9, 2023
Purolator says it is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 42 per cent by 2030. It plans to achieve that by electrifying 60 per cent of its last-mile delivery vehicles and by investing in alternative fuels and low-carbon technologies, company officials add.
It also plans to completely reduce emissions from electricity through the use of renewable sources and by diverting most of its waste from landfills.
“We’ve set ambitious goals for ourselves, and are working with our customers and partners every day to reduce our carbon footprint and protect our environment,” Ferguson said.
Purolator will put $100 million toward the plan this year, and the company expects to add more than 100 all-electric vehicles to its fleet in 2023 and an additional 150 in 2024.
The company’s ultimate goal, it says, is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
That journey began back in 2005, when the firm introduced more than 500 hybrid-electric vehicles to its fleet.
Purolator also began testing all-electric vehicles with e-bikes and low-speed vehicles in 2020.
The Mississauga-based courier company also made news back in January, when it was named among Canada’s top 50 employers in an annual study conducted by Forbes.
Purolator ranked No. 46 on the Top 300 Forbes list that was released on Jan. 25. The annual list is developed based on independent surveys of more than 12,000 employees working part- or full-time for Canadian companies employing at least 500 people.
Purolator was also recognized in 2022 as No. 14 on a list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.