The national home improvement chain is using the electric semi trucks for last-mile deliveries in the Greater Toronto Area

Home Hardware is taking its first step towards transitioning its fleet to zero-emission vehicles with the purchase of two Volvo VNR electric trucks.

This month, the Canadian home improvement retailer began operating the electric semis out of its St. Jacobs, Ont., depot. The trucks will fulfil last-mile deliveries in the GTA.

“We are proud to introduce our new battery-electric trucks to our privately-owned fleet,” said Kevin Macnab, president and chief executive officer, Home Hardware Stores Ltd., in a press release.

The Volvo VNR trucks have a range of 442 kilometres. The route will take them from Home-brand stores within a 100-150 kilometre radius of the St. Jacobs distribution centre.

The charging infrastructure for the electric trucks is provided by Aux Energy, a subsidiary of Hydro One.

Home Hardware accessed funding from Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) and Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Development (EVID) to help build the charging infrastructure.

Community benefits

Home Hardware has over 1,000 stores embedded in communities across Canada.

The retailer “is committed to forward-thinking logistics that evolve our supply chain to best support our dealers so they can serve their communities,” says Macnab.

With such close proximity to its customer base, Home Hardware says one of its goals is to minimize the impact of its trucking operations.

“By adopting these zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, Home Hardware Stores Limited is setting a new standard in the home improvement industry,” said Matthew Blackman, managing director for Canada, Volvo Trucks North America, in press materials.

“This collaboration marks a significant step in reducing emissions and enhancing urban delivery efficiency.”

In addition to lowering emissions at a local level, the electric trucks will also minimize noise pollution and reduce sensory stimulation for drivers. Electric trucks also provide significant cost savings over their lifetime with lower maintenance and fuelling costs than their combustion counterparts.

Home Hardware relied on an assessment from Vision Truck Group, in Brampton, Ont., to identify the electric trucks best-suited for the delivery duty cycle.

Vision uses an Electric Performance Generator (EPG) tool to make their assessments. They also provide guidance for accessing funding to offset costs as well as driver training for electric trucks.

Finding a charging solution

One of the pain points for fleets transitioning to electric vehicles is the need to install depot charging infrastructure.

The process can be costly and, at times, slow.

Home Hardware awarded Hydro One wholly-owned subsidiary Aux Energy the contract for its chargers, which are located in the St. Jacobs distribution centre.

Aux Energy is a behind-the-metre turnkey energy solutions provider for commercial and industrial clients.

Hydro One quietly set up Aux Energy in mid-2021, per the utility’s regulatory filings.

Since 2021, Aux Energy is a partner in two battery storage projects in London and Englehart, Ont. The partnership with Home Hardware appears to be its first charging solutions project.

It was not publicly announced how many chargers Home Hardware has installed.