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Freightliner’s Electric Trucks Hit One Million Miles on the U.S. and Canadian Roads

I’ll believe it when I see it” seems to be true for truck fleet operators, who prefer to test electric trucks for themselves, in order to be fully convinced of what they can do. Some members of the industry might still not be convinced that electric and hydrogen trucks can deliver the same performance as conventional ones, but at least e-trucks have come a long way since the early days.
eCascadia and eM2 production versions will be delivered to customers by the end of 2022 7 photos
Photo: Daimler Trucks North America
Freightliner e-TrucksFreightliner e-TrucksFreightliner e-TrucksFreightliner e-TrucksFreightliner e-TrucksFreightliner e-Trucks
Freightliner Trucks, a division of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), has reached a milestone that’s equally important for the e-truck industry in general – its battery-electric Innovation and Customer Experience (CX) Fleets just hit a total of one million miles on the road.

The adventure started a few years ago, when Freightliner decided to put its eCascadia and eM2 electric trucks into the hands of customers themselves, so that they can be tested on real roads, within real fleets. The first e-trucks began conducting regional haul routes in Southern California, with Penske and NFI, in 2018.

In 2020, the Freightliner Electric Innovation and CX Fleet followed, putting more than 40 e-trucks on the road. Now, all of these trucks have accumulated an impressive mile number.

Throughout this period, the vehicles have been rotating between several customers, including some of the leading truck fleet operators in the U.S. and Canada, as well as specialized fleet operators, such as Loblaw Companies Limited, Sysco and Southern California Edison.

This real-world extensive testing also helped the manufacturer gain important insights related to powertrain performance and charging equipment behavior, for example. All the data collected throughout this period will be used to improve the production versions of the e-trucks. According to DTNA, one of the most significant findings confirmed the importance of regenerative braking, for range maximization, with some drivers able to achieve up to 30% recuperation ratio.

To support the transition to electric trucks even further, DTNA’s customers will benefit from the in-house Detroit eConsulting team’s assistance. Which will help them address some of the challenges connected to electrifying their fleets. Plus, the recently-launched Detroit eFill chargers are adapted for the Detroit ePowertrain found in the eCascadia and eM2 trucks.

The production vehicles are expected to begin deliveries by the end of 2022.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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