Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) electric trucks clicked over the half-million mile mark on the collective odometers as the company’s 38 battery-powered test models rack up real-world route coverage in Southern California.
Ten Class 8 eCascadias in the Freightliner Electric Innovation fleet perform port drayage runs for NFI Industries out of Chino, California. Twenty eCascadias and eM2 models with Penske Truck Leasing and its customers deliver food and commercial goods regionally.
Freightliner’s eight-truck Customer Experience — six eCascadias and two eM2s — fleet gets feedback from motor carriers like J.B. Hunt Transport Service Inc., Knight-Swift Transportation and Schneider National Inc.
“The more miles our trucks operate in real-world operations, the more knowledge we gain,” said Richard Howard, DTNA senior vice president, on-highway sales and marketing.
DTNA plans serial production of electric trucks in 2022. Customers testing the trucks now could be buyers later.
The test fleet launched in late 2018. It is partially funded by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Motiv takes order from Bimbo Bakeries for 123 electrified chassis
Motiv Power Systems has a good thing cooking with Bimbo Bakeries.
A 12-month pilot using five Motiv-powered EPIC F-59 chassis is bringing the nation’s largest baker back for 123 more electric trucks. The trucks will be deployed in California, New York and Pennsylvania in 2021.
“Sustainability is built into our company’s purpose. Incorporating these vehicles into our fleet is an important step toward reducing our dependence on fossil fuels,” said Eric McCann, technical fleet manager for Bimbo Bakeries USA. Bimbo is owned by Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B de C.V. It is the world’s largest baking company with operations in 33 countries.
Delivery vans make sense for electrification because they run predictable routes. And they can return to base for overnight charging.
The Motiv EPIC chassis is based on Ford Motor Co’s F-59 chassis. Using an existing manufacturer’s chassis allows truck and bus body builders to install the same bodies used on their gasoline or diesel-powered step vans, box trucks and other specialty vehicles.
Motiv’s EPIC chassis uses a proprietary AdaptEV software platform that makes the most of vehicle performance and efficiency.
Workhorse scores 500-unit order from medium-duty truck dealership network
Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS) is building a dealer network for its composite body electric delivery vans. The Pritchard Cos., a 107-year-old medium-duty truck dealer network, will place the vans at its commercial vehicle locations across all 50 states.
The order will be financed by Hitachi Capital America. Hitachi has a strategic partnership with Workhorse.
“With this significant order and agreement from Pritchard, we can build upon our nationwide distribution network,” Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes said in a press release.
“Along with HCA’s financing programs, Pritchard will be able to offer fleet customers a variety of flexible options to start using our last-mile delivery vehicles,” Hughes said.
Workhorse provided five of the seven C-1000 delivery vans it built in the third quarter to Pritchard.
“We see this initial 500-vehicle purchase as being the first of many future orders and look forward to growing with Workhorse in 2021 and beyond,” said Ryan Pritchard, COO of Pritchard Cos.’ EV Division.
Workhorse is hampered in producing the vans at its plant in Union City, Indiana, because of a COVID-19 outbreak that has impacted more than 36% of its production employees. It also is short of batteries from its primary supplier.
Pritchard should get its 500 trucks from 2021 production of 1,800 trucks, Hughes said.
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