Kittle's Furniture is at the forefront of a more sustainable future, leading the way by adopting Kenworth battery-electric trucks. As the trailblazer in Indiana, Kittle's Furniture is the first to embrace Kenworth BEVs, revolutionizing furniture delivery just outside of Indianapolis.

With six retail locations in Indiana, Kittle's Furniture uses a Kenworth K270E medium-duty electric truck to deliver furniture to customers in the Indianapolis metro area from its distribution center in Fishers. The truck is leased through Palmer Leasing, the local PacLease franchise, and joins other leased medium-duty trucks also in service with Kittle's.

What Powers the Kenworth BEV for Kittle's Furniture

The Kenworth K270E is equipped with a 282 kW battery pack, which delivers 355 horsepower through a direct-drive motor. The battery pack allows for a range of up to 200 miles between charges. A 20 kW wall charger from PACCAR Parts provides overnight charging.

According to Tyler Baker, Kittle's director of operations, the truck has been in service since November 2023. Kittle's Furniture has been meticulously tracking the performance of the truck and expects to save a substantial $10,000 a year in fuel costs alone.

Moreover, the costs for recharging have been negligible, with no significant increase in their electric bill. The truck operates from 7:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening and is then returned for charging, ready to go the following day, showcasing its efficiency and reliability.

The electric Kenworth has performed well, putting on between 75-100 miles per day and serving customers within a 10-mile radius of its distribution center in Fishers. Kittle's Furniture expects the truck to put on about 20,000 miles a year, with its diesel trucks averaging 25,000 miles. Drivers have found that the electric Kenworth has quicker acceleration and is quieter than their standard trucks.

Making the Choice to be First to Go Electric

Kittle's Furniture is proud to be the first furniture company in Indiana to use electric trucks. It is working with local companies Palmer Leasing and Kenworth, both family-owned organizations, to help them succeed in transportation. Over 70% of the items and 100% of the mattresses Kittle's sells are made or assembled in America, with some made in Indiana. The company believes in supporting local businesses and buying American.

Kittle's Furniture makes between 300 and 400 customer deliveries each week, many of which are "white glove" services, where Kittle's drivers set up furniture in the customer's home. More than 50% of deliveries are from orders placed at the company's 132,000-square-foot superstore in Castleton, but the company delivers all over the state.