As part of its sustainable distribution efforts, Fastenal Co. is now running a battery electric Freightliner eM2 straight truck to service branches in the Los Angeles metro area.

The eM2 began service in the Fastenal fleet in early January, making deliveries to 28 Fastenal branches and Onsite locations – from Los Angeles to coastal Orange County to the Inland Empire.

“We’re excited to help move this technology forward,” stated CEO Dan Florness.  “It adds a new dimension to our own sustainability efforts, and we believe it can offer some insights to help bring electric trucks into wider commercial use.”

The truck is part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet, a 30-vehicle test fleet of Class 6/7 and Class 8 trucks being used to test the integration of battery electric trucks in large commercial fleets.

The Fastenal venture stems from a collaboration between Penske Truck Leasing and Daimler Trucks North America to test commercial electric trucks.

Fastenal struggled with transportation costs in the fourth quarter as freight sales — which the company uses to offset the cost of maintaining its fleet — declined by 7.5%, the company explained on its most recent earnings call, according to Supply Chain Dive.  Q4 sales growth was the lowest in two years.

Maintaining the freight network is still “a huge competitive advantage for us,” Florness stated.  He estimates running their captive trucking fleet is about 90% cheaper than paying LTL shipping rates to meet the company’s needs, according to Supply Chain Dive. Web: Fastenal.com

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