Volvo Trucks North America announced TEC Equipment as its first certified electric vehicle (EV) dealer in North America Thursday.
Volvo says TEC Equipment's Fontana branch in Southern California — the largest dealership in North America — achieved the electric vehicle certification, signifying that its sales team is fully trained to consult with customers that are considering investing in any of the VNR Electric model configurations. Volvo adds the Fontana store's service team also has been fully trained and equipped to safely perform battery-electric truck maintenance and repairs for trucks in operations.
“Volvo Trucks’ Volvo EV Certified Dealer certification program will help us build the robust sales and service ecosystem required to support customers across the country with their zero-emission transportation goals,” says Volvo Trucks North America President Peter Voorhoeve. “It’s fitting that TEC Equipment is our first dealer group to achieve this certification, as they have been an integral partner in the innovative Volvo LIGHTS project and deployed the first Volvo VNR Electric model in North America.”
TEC Equipment has long been a Volvo Certified Uptime Center and will continue to collaborate with Volvo Trucks to implement the same streamlined service philosophy for VNR Electrics. Volvo says EV Certified Dealers such as TEC Equipment also will maintain a stock of key parts and components for the VNR Electric model to minimize service times and quickly get customers back on the road.
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The Volvo VNR Electric has been designed as a sustainable transportation solution for fleet operators supporting local and regional distribution, pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution. Volvo says TEC Equipment’s Fontana sales team has been trained to help customers evaluate which of their routes might be the most ideal for electrification and how to select the right VNR Electric configuration.
A TEC Equipment technician prepares for a service event for an electric Volvo VNR at the company's Fontana, Calif., facility.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with Volvo Trucks and to have our Fontana location be the first to achieve the Volvo EV Certified Dealer certification,” says David Thompson, founder and CEO, TEC Equipment. “Over the past year, our Fontana technicians gained valuable experience maintaining our own Volvo VNR Electric truck, as well as performing routine maintenance for several of our Southern California customers who are running VNR Electrics in the region. We are fully prepared to support fleets in Southern California with their electric vehicles.”
To maintain the company’s high safety and reliability standards, Volvo Trucks says it designed its rigorous Volvo EV Certified Dealer program to ensure technicians understand the proper safety procedures when servicing electric drivetrains and components. In addition, TEC Equipment’s technicians have been outfitted with personal protective equipment for working with high-voltage systems.
“Through Volvo’s comprehensive EV Certified Dealer certification program, Volvo Trucks and its dealerships offer an end-to-end, holistic solution to bring battery-electric Class 8 trucks to the market at scale,” says Voorhoeve. “Volvo Trucks is committed to preparing its national dealer network to partner with fleet customers to support the commercial deployment of Class 8 battery-electric trucks throughout North America and provide the high-quality service that is synonymous with the Volvo Trucks’ brand.”
Volvo Trucks says it is working to add additional Volvo EV Certified Dealers to its network of nearly 300 authorized full-service dealer touchpoints in North America.
