Daimler Trucks North America marks delivery of first electric commercial truck
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has announced that it has delivered the first vehicle in its Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet – a medium-duty Freightliner eM2 – to Penske Truck Leasing (PTL).
DTNA says the move marks a key milestone in the real-world application of battery-electric commercial vehicles, as well as an important step towards emissions-free mobility.
DTNA president and CEO Roger Nielsen, of, ceremonially handed over the eM2 key to Brian Hard, president and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing, during an event in Carson, California.
“With increased hauling demands and regulatory pressures, combined with ongoing concerns over energy resource depletion, it is more important than ever that DTNA continues to rigorously test and research electric vehicle solutions together with our customers,” Nielsen says.
“Electric commercial vehicles present a real opportunity to advance the ideal of emissions-free mobility while improving our customers’ real cost of ownership (RCO).”
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DTNA has two electric trucks due to enter series production in 2021.
The Freightliner eM2 is aimed at local distribution, pickup and delivery, food and beverage delivery, and last-mile logistics applications.
The Freightliner eCascadia is a heavy-duty Class 8 prime mover designed for local and regional distribution and haulage.
The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are part of Daimler Trucks’ global electrified truck initiative, joining the company’s Thomas Built Buses all-electric Saf-T-Liner eC2 school bus, the Fuso eCanter, and the Mercedes-Benz eActros,” DTNA notes.
PTL says that it will install 20 high-power charging stations across five of its California locations, starting this month.
Next year, Penske will put an additional nine medium-duty electric eM2 trucks and 10 heavy-duty eCascadia electric trucks into targeted service in California and the Pacific Northwest.
Earlier this year, DTNA formed the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council composed of 30 customers with strong use-cases for electric trucks, including Penske Truck Leasing, to further drive its sustainable transportation program.