Daimler Trucks North America ready to roll-out all-electric powered Freighliner eCascadia and eM2
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has opened up its book for orders for Freightliner eCascadia and Freightliner eM2, the first all-electric trucks from the company, with production scheduled to begin in late 2022.
“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,” said 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, market-leading Freightliner and DTNA are getting ready for start of production in late 2022.
In addition, 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. And thanks to the large and dedicated network of Freightliner dealers, the company is prepared to support the end-to-end process of fleet electrification.
Powered by Detroit Technologies
At start of production, both Freightliner battery electric models will come equipped with industry-leading technology from Detroit, a brand at the forefront of delivering purposeful innovation to help fleets realize the lowest total cost of ownership through the highest levels of performance, quality, efficiency, and uptime.
Detroit technologies included in the series-production eCascadia and eM2 are: 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 lbs. 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.
Added Howard, “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.”
In lead-up to series production of the eCascadia and eM2, and in cooperation with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Bay Area AQMD) who financially supported pilot fleets, 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, providing valuable data, and customer and driver perspective to Freightliner and DTNA, while allowing myriad customers to test electrification integration into their own fleet operations.
Added Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at DTNA, “We extend our sincere gratitude to the teams at the South Coast and Bay Area AQMDs. We are glad to have the collaboration and support of these valuable entities, without whom it would have taken much longer to reach the precipice of seeing series-produced battery electric commercial vehicles on the road.”
“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,” said 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.”
$20 million investment
DNTA is investing $20 million in its Detroit manufacturing facility where its proprietary Detroit ePowertrain technologies will be utilized in creating new models of electric-powered trucks for CO₂-neutral commercial vehicles.
“By utilizing our Detroit ePowertrain to power the Freightliner eCascadia and eM2, we are giving Freightliner buyers the same level of confidence that comes with our conventionally-powered portfolio, known throughout the industry as having the best total cost of ownership – bar none,” said Howard.
“Nowhere else can buyers find the level of performance, support, quality, dedication to uptime, and engineering expertise as with our Detroit product portfolio. Our investment in Detroit – and in the city of the same name – harkens a new era for a storied name in the global automotive landscape.”
Initially, the Detroit ePowertrain will offer an eAxle design operating at 400 volts and be offered in two variants suitable for a variety of commercial vehicle applications. The single motor design is rated at 180 horsepower, delivering maximum torque of up to 11,500 lb-ft of torque, while the dual motor design offers up to 360 horsepower and 23,000 lb-ft of torque.
The Detroit ePowertrain will be mated to the choice of three battery offerings for the eCascadia and eM2, including a 210 kilowatt hour (kWh) version, a 315 kWh version, and a 475 kWh version. Battery packs are comprised of arrays of lithium-Ion prismatic cells. In Detroit’s first ePowertrain offerings, the maximum range specifications will exceed 230 miles on a full charge for the medium-duty eM2 and 250 miles for the Class 8 eCascadia tractor.
Throughout its storied 80-year history, Detroit has been at the forefront of delivering purposeful innovation to help its customers realize the lowest total cost of ownership through the highest levels of performance, quality, efficiency, and uptime. Whether diesel or electric, Detroit provides unparalleled technical support to help customers incorporate leading technologies into their operations.
The industry-leading Freightliner dealear network will continue to play an integral part in the future growth of both Detroit and eMobility by providing sales, support and service for the ever-expanding portfolio of Detroit engines, transmissions, axles, safety and connectivity technologies, and, now, ePowertrain systems and battery packs.
Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Photos & Text sourced from www.freightliner.com
