Penske Logistics Clocks 10,000 EV Miles In Freightliner eCascadia

Penske did not reveal details, but its first Freightliner eCascadia electric trucks already covered 10,000 miles.

By: Mark Kane

Dec 4, 2019 at 1:15pm ET

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Penske Logistics boasted that it is robably the first fleet in the United States to successfully log more than 10,000 over-the-road miles (16,000 km) in heavy-duty electric trucks Freightliner eCascadia.

Penske operates two eCascadia (the first was delivered in August), which are used for "multiple, daily store deliveries on dedicated routes in Southern California for a leading quick-service restaurant chain".

Assuming that the range for is eCascadia is up to 250 miles (400 km) in an undisclosed test cycle and the payload, 10,000 miles would be equivalent to 40 or so full charging cycles. Over several months, it's clearly a learning pilot project, but still ahead of many others.

The EV fleet will be expanded to a total of 10 eCascadia (plus another 10 for NFI Industries), which is an important step for Daimler, before market launch in 2021.

"The eCascadias operated by Penske Logistics are part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet. The fleet is testing the integration of battery electric trucks in large-scale fleet operations. The Freightliner Innovation Fleet is supported by a partnership between Daimler Trucks North America and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which focuses on improving air quality in California’s South Coast Basin and partially funded the Innovation Fleet with a nearly $16M grant.

Penske Truck Leasing took delivery of its first Freightliner eCascadia August 20, 2019, and plans to deploy 10 eCascadias in its Southern California operations. The fleet is supported by a network of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations at five Penske Truck Leasing facilities in Southern California. Penske also performs preventive maintenance at these locations."

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Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics said:

"For a fleet that runs trucks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 10,000 miles may not seem like a milestone, but we believe we are the first fleet in the United States to make daily store deliveries using battery electric heavy-duty tractors for regional distribution. We are extremely proud of our dedicated team and thankful to our partners at Freightliner and Daimler Trucks North America. Without them, this landmark would not have been possible. We’re quite impressed with the performance of the eCascadia."

Gallery: Freightliner eCascadia

Freightliner eCascadia (Class 8 tractor) specs:

up to 730 peak horsepower
550 kWh usable battery capacity
up to 250 miles (400 km) of range
ability to charge up to 80 percent (providing a range of 200 miles) in about 90 minutes
80,000 lb. gross combined weight rating (GCWR)