Nacarato Truck Centers has completed the required training and facility updates to become the first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) Dealership in Tennessee with its La Vergne location.

This is the second location to be certified for Nacarato Truck Centers, with its Roanoke, Virginia, location completing certification in January 2022 to become the first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer in Virginia.

“Nacarato Truck Centers continues to be an excellent dealer partner and electromobility leader, becoming the first Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer in yet another new state — first in Virginia and now first in Tennessee,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “It is fantastic to see the Nacarato team apply the experience they gained in Virginia, where they are supporting fleet customers who are utilizing Volvo VNR Electrics to transport inbound parts and components to the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Assembly Operations, to be able to quickly expand their network of Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealerships to their other locations.”

Founded in 1976 in Nashville, Nacarato Truck Centers operates a network of Volvo Trucks dealerships and service centers throughout Tennessee, Virginia, Southern Kentucky, Maryland, and Georgia. The dealership group said it plans to complete the certification at all eight of its dealerships and is already in the process of certifying its Hagerstown, Maryland, location.

Nacarato Truck Centers has also made investments in its facilities and vehicle diagnostics tools to assist customers with their electromobility journey including installing a 75-kW charging station to support the battery-electric trucks. The La Vergne location has one bay dedicated to servicing electric trucks and maintains a stock of key parts and components for the VNR Electric model to minimize service times and quickly get customers back on the road.

“Customer inquiries about electric truck availability have definitely increased in the last few months and they are more than just fact-finding conversations,” said Pat Daily, COO, Nacarato Truck Centers. “Customers are interested and ready to begin the transition to integrate battery-electric vehicles into their fleet and that is why we made the investments to become only the second dealer group in North America to have multiple locations certified to support the growing interest in battery-electric trucks.”

The Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer program was designed to ensure that sales teams are fully trained to consult with customers that are considering deploying Volvo VNR Electrics to ensure they are selecting a model configuration that is technically viable based on their operating requirements. 

The certification also means the dealership is able to provide technicians with the proper technical training required to maintain electric drivetrains and components, as well as understand all safety procedures to follow when working with high-voltage systems. Nacarato Truck Centers now has a total of 12 certified technicians, including four at the La Vergne location.