The Sacramento-based sales and development company, which has both hybrid and electric vehicles in its range, said it was designed to support California governor Edmund G. Brown Jr’s recent EV Executive Order, which aims to achieve widespread electric vehicle use in the state.

In its first phase, the fleet of 100 trucks will be the state’s largest deployment of electric vehicles and one of the largest in the world. Once complete, it will allow 12 million miles of routes currently covered by diesel powered vehicles to be undertaken with no tailpipe emissions at the point of use.

EVI, which counts UPS, Frito-Lay and Pacific Gas & Electric among its large fleet customers, builds its vehicles in Central Valley, California, so the initiative also creates new jobs in the region.

Frank Jenkins, vice president of marketing and sales of EVI, said: ‘EVI is proud to build EV trucks in California that significantly reduce fuel and maintenance costs for fleet operators while meeting their day-to-day demands, as well as offering a much greater reduction in carbon footprint and fuel usage than electric/hybrid cars and light duty trucks.

‘Our plan is to be a major contributor to the successful accomplishment of California's zero emission goals and to support jobs here in California.’