Project
Volvo LIGHTS
Building the Commercialization Blueprint for Heavy-Duty Electric Trucks
Sector: Fleet Electrification | Product Commercialization | Workforce Development
Location: Southern California (South Coast Air Basin)
Partners: Volvo Trucks, South Coast AQMD, NFI, DHE, TEC Equipment, Shell Recharge, Ports of LA/Long Beach, SCE + 6 more
Duration: 2019 – 2022 (3 years)
Opportunity
In 2019, commercial battery-electric trucks were still theoretical for most fleets. Volvo Trucks wanted to bring its Class 8 VNR Electric to market, but there was no playbook—no certified dealers, no technician training programs, no first responder protocols, no real-world data on what worked.
With $44.8 million in funding secured through California’s ZANZEFF program—and additional investment from project partners— the $91 million Volvo LIGHTS initiative was designed to demonstrate the real-world viability of electric freight and establish the foundation for broader commercialization. Success depended not only on deploying trucks and infrastructure, but on educating the market, aligning stakeholders, and communicating lessons learned to accelerate broader industry adoption.
Approach
Serve as the Central Communications Lead Across 14 Partner Organizations
TRC led communications and stakeholder coordination for the three-year Volvo LIGHTS initiative, ensuring alignment across project partners—including Volvo Trucks, TEC Equipment, NFI, DHE, Southern California Edison, Shell Recharge, Rio Hondo College, San Bernardino Valley College, among others. We developed project messaging, supported partner communications, coordinated announcements, and ensured milestones were clearly communicated to industry stakeholders.
Produce Milestone Events to Introduce Electric Trucks to the Market
TRC planned and produced the Volvo VNR Electric launch event at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, introducing Volvo’s first Class 8 battery-electric truck to fleets, media, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The event provided attendees with hands-on access to the vehicle and marked a defining moment in the commercialization of heavy-duty electric trucks.
TRC also produced the Volvo LIGHTS project wrap event at the Ontario Convention Center, bringing together project partners, public agencies, and industry leaders to showcase deployment outcomes and lessons learned. The event highlighted the successful development of charging infrastructure, workforce training programs, and dealer readiness, and helped communicate the project’s broader impact on accelerating zero-emission freight.
Develop Educational Content to Accelerate Industry Adoption
TRC created a comprehensive library of educational resources—videos, fact sheets, and technical summaries—to help fleets, utilities, dealers, policymakers, and workforce partners understand how to successfully deploy heavy-duty electric trucks. We developed and managed the Volvo LIGHTS project website, which served as the central hub for project information, milestones, partner announcements, and technical insights. The site provided transparent documentation of deployment progress and lessons learned, helping build confidence among fleets evaluating electrification.
Lead National Media Relations to Position Volvo LIGHTS as a Commercialization Milestone
TRC led media strategy and execution for the Volvo LIGHTS project, securing coverage across leading transportation, energy, and sustainability publications. We developed press materials, coordinated media events, and facilitated interviews with project partners to ensure milestones reached key decision-makers across the freight ecosystem.
This sustained visibility helped establish Volvo LIGHTS as a defining early deployment of heavy-duty electric trucks and accelerated industry awareness and confidence in fleet electrification.
Produce the Industry’s First Electric Truck Playbook
TRC wrote and designed the 25-page Volvo LIGHTS Lessons Learned Guidebook, documenting insights on partnerships, BEV demonstrations, charging infrastructure, total cost of ownership, workforce training, and dealer support. The guidebook helped fleets, utilities, and policymakers better understand the operational and infrastructure requirements for heavy-duty truck electrification.
Results
Volvo LIGHTS won SCAG’s 2022 Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability Award and was recognized at the World Economic Forum’s COP27 for its innovative multi-stakeholder partnership model supporting sustainable freight electrification. The project helped Volvo Trucks launch the commercial VNR Electric in December 2020, with TEC Equipment Fontana becoming the nation’s first Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer.
$44.8M
in grant funding secured
100+
media placements in trade outlets
45
EV technicians trained
3
industry awards won
How ACT News Helped Deliver Results
ACT News Creative Studio played a critical role in translating project milestones into industry-wide education and awareness. Through editorial coverage and educational webinars, ACT News helped fleets, utilities, and policymakers understand how heavy-duty electric trucking could be successfully deployed at scale.
Educational Webinars
News Coverage
Contact
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