Electric truck rollout begins

 

By Colin Windell

 

 

Some 30 ‘silent’ runners are about to hit American highways with Penske Truck Leasing and NFI Industries having signed on to use Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 trucks in their fleet – this just a month after Daimler Trucks formally launched the units.

Daimler is the world’s first manufacturer to test electrified trucks for all weight classes with customers until end of 2018. Furthermore, Daimler Trucks, as a comprehensive system provider, is working with the customers on route planning, development of charging infrastructure and vehicle service support.

In addition, the newly founded E-Mobility Group will use 10 Freightliner e-trucks for research and development purposes to gain further knowledge about e-trucks in the US. DTNA has a goal of starting series production of the electrified trucks in 2021.

“Working together with Penske Truck Leasing Corporation and NFI Industries allows us to start with an important phase of the further development of electrified trucks. We call this Co-Creation: Together with our customers, we are working on the best solutions for the usage of e-trucks.

“As global market leader, we also want to lead in the field of e-trucks. In Penske and NFI, we found innovative partners with whom we take on the challenge together,” says Martin Daum, member of the Daimler Board of Management for Trucks and Buses.

Penske Truck Leasing Corporation is a leading global transportation services provider operating more than 270 000 vehicles and serving customers from more than 1 000 locations in North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Penske will get 10 Freightliner eCascadia heavy-duty trucks for regional delivery and 10 medium duty eM2 for local operations in the Northwest Pacific and in California.

“Penske is committed to bringing the most effective commercial vehicle technologies to our customers,” says Brian Hard, President and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. “We have had a long, collaborative relationship working with Daimler and its Freightliner brand.

“We are encouraged by the progress Daimler has made with their electric vehicle platforms for heavy duty and medium duty applications. We look forward to our continued cooperation and co-creation with Daimler on these electric vehicles as we operate them within our expansive logistics, truck leasing and rental fleets.”

Logistics specialist NFI Industries holds a fleet of 4 000 tractors and 8 900 trailers in North America. Ten Freightliner eCascadias will be delivered to NFI for drayage activities from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehouses in California’s Inland Empire metro region.

The Freightliner eCascadia is based on the Cascadia, the most successful heavy-duty long-distance truck in the North American market. At start of series production, the eCascadia will have up to 544 kW peak power. The batteries provide 550 Kwh usable capacity, a range of up to 400 km and have the ability to charge up to 80%(providing a range of 320 km) in about 90 minutes. The Class 8 tractor is designed for local and regional distribution and drayage.

The Freightliner eM2 is intended for local distribution operations and last-mile delivery services and will initially have up to 357 kW. The batteries provide 325 Kwh of usable capacity, a range of up to 360 km and have the ability to charge up to 80% (providing a range of 290 km) in about 60 minutes.

As with just about everything involving Tesla, there has been plenty of attention and investor interest around its Semi. The Tesla Semi is a battery-electric Class 8 (tractor-trailer) truck that features the automaker's distinctive edgy styling. Tesla has said the Semi will be offered with 400 km and 800 km battery packs when it comes to market... eventually.

Tesla has built a few prototypes of its Semi but, it is not clear when (or where) it will go into production.

However, the reality is that, as of right now at least, Tesla does not appear to have made any effort to finish the Semi's development and begin production. It does not appear to have any factory space to build the truck and currently, Model 3s are being finished in a temporary building in the parking lot of Tesla's factory.