J.B. Hunt adds 20 new Nikola FCEV hydrogen vehicles to enhance sustainable solutions

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, announced the acquisition of 20 additional Nikola Tre fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This move aims to strengthen the sustainability solutions offered to customers with freight needs along the West Coast of the United States.

“Our expertise, resources, and relationships uniquely position us to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals,” said Greer Woodruff, executive vice president of safety, sustainability, and maintenance at J.B. Hunt. “Zero-emission vehicles like these provide viable, sustainable options, helping our customers reduce carbon emissions in their supply chains while also enabling J.B. Hunt to advance on its own sustainability journey.”

Several of these new FCEVs are expected to support J.B. Hunt’s intermodal operations in California, particularly for port and drayage transport. They address growing concerns from shippers regarding the state’s new regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions and adopting zero-emission vehicle technologies. These regulations include measures from the California Air Resource Board (CARB) and the South Coast AQMD’s WAIRE (Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions) program. By partnering with J.B. Hunt to schedule zero-emission vehicle deliveries and pickups, customers can not only reduce their carbon footprint but also avoid fees associated with the WAIRE program.

These Nikola FCEVs join the over 200 alternative-powered vehicles already in service at J.B. Hunt, including battery-electric, hydrogen-electric, and renewable natural gas (RNG) powered vehicles. Refueling infrastructure will be provided by Nikola via its HYLA brand. In 2023, J.B. Hunt purchased three Nikola FCEVs, which are currently supporting dedicated customer operations.

With trusted teams consistently testing and exploring alternative technologies, J.B. Hunt has gained valuable expertise in integrating these vehicles into customers’ operations. Recently, the company launched a pilot program with Clean Energy featuring the new Cummins X15N engine, a major innovation for RNG-powered vehicles. J.B. Hunt also partnered with Daimler Truck North America and Electrolux to add alternative-powered vehicles to their operations.

J.B. Hunt’s ambitious goal is to reduce carbon emission intensity by 32% by 2034 from a 2019 baseline. To achieve this, the company focuses on integrating alternative-powered equipment, expanding the use of biogenic fuels, and improving fuel economy. Last year, J.B. Hunt surpassed the halfway mark toward this goal.

A variety of flexible, sustainable solutions

In addition to integrating alternative-powered vehicles, J.B. Hunt offers a range of sustainable solutions to its customers, including:

• Intermodal conversion: As a leader in converting over-the-road shipments to rail, J.B. Hunt reduces a shipment’s carbon footprint by an average of 65% compared to highway truck transport. Over the past decade, J.B. Hunt’s intermodal service has helped avoid approximately 30 million metric tons of CO2e emissions from over-the-road transportation.

• Empty-mile reduction: Using its industry-leading technology platform J.B. Hunt 360®, the company optimizes backhaul capacity for customers, eliminating millions of empty miles each year. In 2023 alone, J.B. Hunt helped avoid over 4 million empty miles.

• J.B. Hunt Carbon Diet Services: This best practices guide helps customers effectively reduce carbon emission intensity using the company’s Carbon Diet methodology. It includes J.B. Hunt’s proprietary CLEAN Transport™ Carbon Calculator to determine a customer’s carbon footprint.

• CLEAN Transport™ program: Through this carbon-neutral shipping offering, J.B. Hunt provides customers with a flexible way to acquire carbon offset credits equivalent to the emissions produced by their shipments.