Stepping into the future of carbon-neutral freight transportation, Daimler Trucks North America is now accepting orders for its first all-electric freight trucks, which they call the longest-range commercial battery EVs for interstate shipping in North America today.
Daimler’s Freightliner manufacturing division has put the eM2 box truck and eCascadia freight tractor into the hands of customers, who have been running real freight in the real world for over two years.
Having demonstrated the concept, they will begin production of the trucks in 2022 and provide a “dedicated network of Freightliner dealers to support the end-to-end process of fleet electrification.”
Currently with 38 trucks in a pilot fleet covering hundreds of thousands of miles in testing, senior vice president Richard Howard said, “The entire team at Daimler Trucks North America is incredibly proud of our progress.”
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With its ePowertrain technology developed by Detroit®, the eAxle design offers up to 23,000 lb-ft of torque, giving it ample power to move the eCascadia’s 82,000 lbs. with a maximum range in excess of 230 miles on a full charge for the medium-duty eM2, and 250 miles for the Class 8 eCascadia tractor.
In the lead-up to production, Freightliner’s test fleets have covered a variety of applications, including drayage, regional and local pickup and delivery, and food and beverage delivery—logging 750,000 collective miles, accumulating valuable data and driver perspectives.
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“These are the largest demonstrator electric fleets ever seen in the industry, and the valuable collaboration and feedback has translated directly into a more versatile, more durable, and more reliable product,” said Howard.
The eCascadia will carry a 475 kWh battery pack which charges to 80 percent in 90 minutes, while the eM2 has a smaller 315 kWh pack which will charge to 80 percent in 60 minutes.
Considering that the average Class 8 tractor trailer is achieving miles-per-gallon in the single-digits on the highway, these trucks could slash not only pollution, but the cost of moving goods from one place to another.
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