Giant’s electric vehicle fleet hits streets of Philadelpia
The Giant Co. shared that four electric vehicles will join its fleet serving the greater Philadelphia community. The electric vans will fulfill Giant Direct customer deliveries while reducing the company’s environmental footprint, safeguarding nearly 9,000 gallons of gas each year.
“Fulfilling our purpose of connecting families for a better future means taking action today to create a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow,” said Daren Russ, vice president, omnichannel operations at Giant. “The addition of electric vehicles is an economic and environmental investment that saves fuel costs and time while avoiding harmful emissions. Electric vehicles are a tool to strengthen the environment in the communities we serve and part of our commitment to healing our planet.”
The electric vehicles are the first of their kind to join Giant’s 164-vehicle fleet and can travel 108 miles per charge. Their zero-tailpipe emission design combined with their avoidance of gasoline will prevent 171,963 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Over the next few years, the company plans to introduce more all-electric vehicles to its fleet.
The electric vehicle pilot is part of Giant’s greater commitment to sustainability. Since 2018, the retailer has partnered with PDI Sustainable Solutions to implement a reduced emission program to reduce its carbon footprint. Every time Giant or Martin’s fuel stations are utilized, the program invests in sustainable efforts like reforestation, solar power and wind power to offset tailpipe emissions by up to 30%. Since the program’s inception, it has offset nearly 370,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
“Electric vehicles are part of Giant’s ongoing commitment to sustainability,” said Tracy Horsfield, manager of e-commerce at Giant. “We continue to partner with sustainability leaders to reduce and offset emissions at every level of our supply chain. Together, we are taking action and forging partnerships to create healthier communities for generations to come.”
[Read more: Giant releases community impact report]
Building on its sustainability efforts, in 2021, Giant entered an agreement with Constellation, a leading energy solutions provider, to power its Pennsylvania operations with renewable energy. The partnership has invested in four solar fields, the first of which became operational in January to avoid more than 100,000 metric tons of Scope 2 carbon emissions associated with its annual energy use.