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Goodwill unveils first EV semi-trucks in New Mexico with governor in attendance
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They don’t make much noise, if at all. They’re big. They’re white. And they can carry huge loads from point A to point B.
More than anything, they are the future of transportation, officials say.
Goodwill Industries of New Mexico and state government officials, including Environment Secretary James Kenney and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, on Tuesday unveiled the first-in-the-state, fully electric semi-trucks that will hit the roads of the Albuquerque metro area and Santa Fe.
“I think what Goodwill (unveiled) here today is the beginning — or a tipping point — of what we’re going to see other nonprofits, for-profits, municipalities come in and want to work with us to change their fleets over, buy buses … trash collection trucks,” Kenney said at the event in Albuquerque. “All of that can be electrified or use hydrogen or some other fuel that’s not carbon-emitting. I absolutely think this is the beginning. This is not a one-off. This is the beginning.”
The semi-trucks, which officials say will help the nonprofit save thousands of dollars annually on maintenance and fuel costs, come thanks to a federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant for which Goodwill applied with the help of the state Environment Department. The total cost of the two trucks, which are eCascadia models from Freightliner, came at around $1 million — about 45% of which was covered by the grant funding, and the rest by Goodwill.
The trucks have a range of roughly 230 miles, meaning, for now, they will likely carry loads to Goodwill stores in the metro area and Santa Fe, Goodwill COO Frank Holland and CFO Tom Downey said.
Goodwill Industries of New Mexico CEO Shauna Kastle told the Journal the plan is to eventually replace the four box trucks it operates with electric vehicles, but added that doing so is a big financial commitment.
“This endeavor is not just a leap forward for the organization but a bold step for the entire state,” Kastle said. “Sustainability is a large part of our mission at Goodwill Industries of New Mexico.”
The appearance by the governor and her Cabinet Secretary Kenney marks a big win for the state, which has in recent months announced a move to a zero-emission fleet by 2035 and has seen new advanced clean car rules be adopted that will increase the number of new zero-emission vehicles stock over a period of years.
At the Goodwill event on Tuesday, Lujan Grisham pointed to what she says are “real public health issues related to emissions,” such as asthma in children, as areas of concern. But she said a move to electric like Goodwill’s is a step in the right direction.
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“...This can have a real productive impact both on your bottom line — sales are up — and also by making sure that the kiddos and families that you are serving continue to have better options for air quality in a city that has issues often with air quality,” she said.
