CU is implementing electric trucks for supply deliveries to its stores to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the convenience store chain said Thursday.

BGF Retail, the operator behind the convenience store chain, said it is introducing Kia’s Bongo EV, the pure electric version of the automaker’s compact pickup truck.

The trucks will be delivering products from BGF Logis Gwangju, its distribution center in Gyeonggi Province to midsized and large CU stores in Seoul’s Gangnam area. Also, charging stations will be installed inside the distribution center.

As the largest convenience store chain with some 15,000 stores across the country as of this month, BGF Retail said it expects to contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emission with its implementation of electric vehicles. Each of the electric trucks could reduce emissions by up to 2 metric tons of carbon per year, as compared to an internal combustion engine.

BGF Retail said it will be test-operating the trucks for the Gwangju distribution center until the second half of the year, and will consider the expansion of the scheme for other centers.

A CU convenience store is supplied with products three times a day on average, delivered by about 2,000 vehicles from 33 distribution centers, the company added.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)