Daimler Trucks launches additional electric Freightliner Customer Experience fleet: new eCascadias and eM2 106 models.
Daimler AG continues to add to its fleet of electric vehicles in North America in effort to demonstrate their capability.
Daimler Trucks launched new electric models of Freightliner trucks for customer testing in North America.
The experimental Customer Experience fleet from Daimler Trucks North America now includes six heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadias and two medium-duty Freightliner eM2 106 models.
(Daimler experiments by replacing mirrors with cameras on trucks.)
Daimler AG is investing more than $500 million into the development of automated big rigs.
During a period of 22 months, 14 different customers from a range of sectors will operate the all-electric trucks within their daily transport business. The customers testing the trucks are some of the largest fleet owners in the United States with more than 150,000 heavy- and medium-duty trucks on roads in the U.S.
The CX test fleet is in addition to Daimler Truck’s innovation fleet of 30 Freightliner eTrucks that, since 2018, have been in operation and recently surpassed more than 160,000 cumulative kilometers. The market launch for both the Freightliner eCascadia and the eM2 truck now is scheduled for late 2021.
The Freightliner eCascadia is based on the Cascadia, the most successful heavy-duty long-distance truck in the Class 8, 80,000-pound gross combined weight rating (GCWR) in the North American market. At start of series production, the eCascadia is planned to have up to 730 peak horsepower.
(Penske takes on Daimler electric trucks for deliveries.)
The batteries are planned to provide 550 kWh usable capacity, a range of up to 250 miles and have the ability to charge up to 80% – providing a range of 200 miles – in about 90 minutes.
Freightliner is part of Daimler’s e-mobility program.
The Class 8 tractors are designed for local and regional distribution and drayage.
The smaller Freightliner eM2 is intended for local distribution operations and last-mile delivery services. The eM2 truck is planned to have up to 480 peak horsepower. The batteries are planned to provide 325 kWh of usable capacity, a range of up to 230 miles and have the ability to charge up to 80% in about 60 minutes.
(Freightliner takes aim at Tesla with two big EV semis and a new e-Mobility center.)
The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are part of Daimler Trucks’ global electrified truck initiative, have joined the Thomas Built Buses all-electric Saf-T-Liner eC2 Jouley school bus, the Freightliner Custom Chassis MT50e, the Mercedes-Benz eActros, the Mercedes-Benz eEconic in the U.S., the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro bus in Europe and the FUSO eCanter in Asia, Europe and North America.