Consumer goods giant Kenvue Canada's short-haul electric truck pilot with logistics company Fuel Transport has achieved nearly 45% savings in diesel costs, company executives told Trucking Dive.

In January, Fuel Transport deployed an electric truck in the Greater Toronto Area for Kenvue (which owns personal care brands such as Aveeno, Listerine, and Neutrogena) on a short-haul, multi-stop delivery route. More than five months since the pilot launched, Fuel's Vice President of Operations, Peter Perrella, said in an email that the evaluation is progressing well, and the pilot may potentially be expanded to other markets, including the United States.

"We are always willing to collaborate with partners exploring more sustainable transportation models and to study how these solutions can be operationally implemented in real-world supply chains," Perrella said. However, he emphasized that the current focus is on learning as much as possible about the actual performance of electric trucks in urban environments.

Although recent diesel price fluctuations have prompted companies to seek ways to reduce fuel costs, Perrella noted that the pilot with Kenvue is not benchmarked on short-term cost savings but rather on understanding the long-term viability of electric trucks. Using an electric truck on the Toronto test route resulted in a 44.7% savings in diesel costs, Perrella said.

"Fuel prices are only part of the equation," he said. "We are evaluating the broader operational realities, including charging integration, route planning, vehicle utilization, infrastructure requirements, maintenance considerations, and overall service reliability."

Since the pilot is still running in an active logistics network, Fuel is focused on accumulating more operational data over time, Perrella said. The pilot will continue through December.

Toronto provides a suitable testing environment

Electric truck deployment and heavy-duty charging infrastructure installation have both made progress in the United States and Canada.

A study released in December by FPInnovations in partnership with Transport Canada examined a 12-month deployment of Class 8 battery-electric trucks in the Montreal area. Key findings from the study include:

  • Over a six-year period, four Class 8 battery-electric trucks (each traveling 90,000 kilometers per year) could save $856,486 in costs compared to diesel trucks.
  • These trucks reduced energy consumption by 60% and greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80%.
  • The vehicles performed well under load conditions and were favored by drivers in many respects.

However, the report also pointed out shortcomings of Class 8 electric trucks. Some vehicles only operated 150 to 200 kilometers per day, less than half of the advertised range, but this was due to limited charging infrastructure. Additionally, electric vehicles required longer maintenance times compared to diesel vehicles.

The report emphasized that drivers and dispatchers may both need more training to better understand the operation and performance of electric trucks, which "could lead to further efficiency gains, such as awareness of vehicle range and strategies to optimize mileage accumulation."

These factors also influenced Fuel's decision to conduct the pilot with Kenvue.

Perrella said that both Fuel and Kenvue have invested resources in the pilot. Fuel invested in the vehicle, charging infrastructure, and broader operational testing, while Kenvue's contribution was focused on the operational level.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center, the installation cost of charging infrastructure varies depending on factors such as location, charging level, and charger type. Estimates from a 2023 report by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency show that Level 2 AC charging stations can cost "a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per charger," while the installation cost of DC fast chargers or Level 3 chargers can range from $15,000 to $90,000 per unit.

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency noted in a 2026 report that when both fuel and infrastructure costs are taken into account, battery-electric vehicles on regional round-trip routes could cost 42 cents per mile, compared to 35 cents per mile for current diesel vehicles.

Perrella said that because Kenvue and Fuel already had operational familiarity, this helped in adjusting the supply chain network when implementing the pilot, from scheduling and route planning to charging integration and delivery planning.

Chris Mascella, Senior Director of Supply Chain at Kenvue Canada, said in a press release that the partnership with Fuel enables the company to advance a more resilient and sustainable supply chain network.

"This pilot reflects the tangible steps we are taking to reduce emissions while continuing to reliably deliver the everyday care products that Canadians rely on," he said.

Perrella said that working with Kenvue on the Greater Toronto Area route provided an opportunity to test electric truck performance under dense delivery routes, congestion, and multi-stop delivery windows.

"Conducting the pilot in Canada also allowed us to evaluate performance in cold weather conditions, which is an important part of understanding the realistic picture of scaled electrification in North American freight operations," he said.

The experience Fuel gained from the Greater Toronto Area pilot will help plan future electric truck deployments in other markets where it operates.

"Over time, these learnings can help us develop broader deployment strategies across different markets and operating environments, including potential opportunities in the United States, as long as the route structure and operating model make sense," Perrella said.