Freightliner's eCascadia
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced Tuesday its all-electric Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are now available to order.
The two trucks are the first all-electric models released by DTNA, and are among the longest-range commercial battery electric vehicles in the North American marketplace.
“From reveal of proof of concept in 2018, to a demonstration fleet that’s in the hands of real customers, running real freight in the real world, to today’s moment where we are ready to formally welcome the nation’s fleets to all-electric freight movement, the entire team at Daimler Trucks North America is incredibly proud of our progress,” says Richard Howard, senior vice president, on-highway sales and marketing, DTNA. “Moreover, we are very excited to take this next important step into the future of carbon-neutral freight transportation with our great customers and dealers.
With the opening of the order books to customers, DTNA says it intends to start production on the two electric truck models in late 2022. The company also notes customers can benefit from an integrated approach that enables them to select and specify, as an additional service, the resources of an eConsulting team that will assist and advise on the holistic ecosystem needed to integrate battery electric vehicles into their fleets.
Once production begins, both Freightliner battery electric models will come equipped with the all-new Detroit ePowertrain; the Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems; and the advanced telematics service of Detroit Connect.
Comprised of an eAxle design and available with a single or dual motor system, the Detroit ePowertrain offers up to 23,000 lb.-ft. of torque, giving it ample power for the eCascadia’s GCWR of 82,000 lb. And with maximum range specifications in excess of 230 miles on a full charge for the medium-duty eM2 and 250 miles for the Class 8 eCascadia tractor, both trucks are uniquely suited for a wide variety of applications, DTNA says.
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“Powered by Detroit, customers who order a Freightliner eCascadia or eM2, stand to benefit from not only the best technologies in the industry, but the best customer experience as well,” says Howard.
Freightliner's eM2
In lead-up to series production of the eCascadia and eM2, Freightliner has placed 38 trucks into operation with fleets covering a variety of applications, including drayage, regional and local pickup and delivery, and food and beverage delivery. Nearly 750,000 collective miles have been accumulated on the early Freightliner electric fleet to-date, the company says.
“We are incredibly grateful to the customers who have been testing the eCascadia and eM2 through the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet and Customer Experience Fleets,” says Howard. “These are the largest demonstrator electric fleets ever seen in the industry, and the valuable collaboration, feedback loop and cooperation with our many valued customers, has translated directly into a more versatile, more durable, and more reliable product packed with purposeful innovation to benefit them and their operations.”
