Freightliner Trucks premiered two fully electrified commercial vehicles, a Freightliner eCascadia heavy-duty truck and a Freightliner eM2 106 medium-duty truck during the Daimler Trucks Capital Market and Technology Day. Freightliner also announced plans to deliver an Electric Innovation Fleet of 30 vehicles to customers later this year for further testing under real-world operating conditions.
Click here to watch our walk-around videos of both the eCascadia and eM2.
The eCascadia has up to 730 peak HP. The batteries 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. The Class 8 tractor is designed for local and regional distribution and drayage.
The eM2 has up to 480 peak HP. The batteries provide 325 Kwh of usable capacity, a range of up to 230 miles and have the ability to charge up to 80% (providing a range of 184 miles) in about 60 minutes. The eM2 is Freightliner’s electrified solution for local distribution, pickup and delivery, food and beverage delivery, and last-mile logistics applications.
Both electrified Freightliner models are designed to fit specific applications, carefully identified through an extensive co-creation process with customers, the OEM explained. The goal is to build and deliver commercial electric vehicles that support the business and sustainability goals of our customers.
DTNA is aiming to start production in 2021.
“The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are designed to meet customer needs for electrified commercial vehicles serving dedicated, predictable routes where the vast majority of daily runs fall between 45 and 150 miles,” said Roger Nielsen, president and chief executive officer of DTNA.
The company stressed the importance of charging infrastructure for all-electric commercial vehicles. DTNA is leading the initiative to develop a commercial vehicle charging infrastructure for North America, the company stated. Daimler AG, DTNA’s parent company, is a founding member of CharIN, the Charging Interface Initiative – an effort to develop a standard charging system for battery-powered vehicles. DTNA is heading a CharIN taskforce to develop a new electric commercial vehicle charging standard globally, collaborating with utilities and service providers to foster a supportive environment for high-voltage charging networks and serve as a trusted consultant for customers.
