Volvo Group subsidiary Mack Trucks presented a new Mack® LR Electric refuse truck to Royal Waste Services, Inc., a Waste Connections subsidiary operating in New York City that provides sustainable waste reduction strategies and recycling programs. The truck is the first of nine electric vehicles the Volvo Group will deliver as part of the Bronx is Breathing: Reimagining a Cleaner Hunts Point project.
The handoff occurred in conjunction with the announcement of MN8 Energy as the development partner which will create a freight-focused electric vehicle charging hub. The project is funded by a $10 million award from the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in partnership with the NYS Department of Public Service (DPS) and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to introduce clean transportation solutions in the South Bronx.
Later this year, Volvo Trucks North America will provide four Class 7 VNR Electric trucks to City Harvest, a food rescue organization. The trucks will feature battery-electric transport refrigeration units (eTRUs) and utilize the EV freight hub for charging. In addition, the Fulton Fish Market Co-Op, the largest fish market in the U.S., will receive four medium-duty Mack MD model electric vehicles to aid in zero-emissions logistics.
“The Volvo Group recognizes one of the main challenges for scaling zero emission vehicle operations is access to adequate, reliable and affordable power,” said Keith Brandis, vice president of policy and regulatory affairs, Volvo Group North America. “Through the Bronx is Breathing project, we will support the creation of a scalable model for public charging hubs in communities across the U.S.”
Hunts Point hosts the largest wholesale food hub in the United States, along with nine waste transfer facilities, multiple recycling yards, a wastewater treatment plant and a residential community of nearly 13,000.
The electric vehicle charging hub, developed through public-private partnerships, will be built on a 3.2-acre brownfield site in the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center (FDC) by MN8 Energy, one of the largest independent solar energy producers in the United States. Featuring 32 Direct Charging Fast Chargers, the depot will include eight Class 8 trailer-enabled stalls and 10 Level 2 chargers and will become a scalable model for zero-tail-tailpipe freight while addressing the high cost of fast charging.
The site will also include a new, first-of-its-kind 12,500 square foot multi-purpose welcome center and workforce development hub. MN8 Energy will work in partnership with local nonprofits and workforce providers to develop on-site education and workforce development planning. Construction for the charging depot, welcome center and workforce development hub will begin in 2026 and will support both medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles as well as light-duty electric vehicles.
Published August 2025