Manufacturing to begin on Freightliner’s eM2 this fall
Freightliner eCascadia’s little brother – the eM2 – has exited the prototype stage with manufacturing set to start at its Portland truck manufacturing plant within the third or fourth quarter this yr. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) introduced Tuesday at ACT Expo in Anaheim, California, that it’s now taking orders for the electrical car.
The corporate can be increasing its eM2 innovation to vocational sectors like electrical utility, avenue sweeper and dump truck medium-duty purposes.
The Class 6/7 eM2, constructed on the M2 106 Plus platform, expands CO2-neutral transportation to the medium-duty section, designed for pickup and supply, beverage supply, lease rental and different purposes, together with refrigeration with an electrical energy takeoff (ePTO) integration choice – all segments excellent for the battery electrical market due to the comparatively quick, return to base nature of the routes.
The eM2 joins the eCascadia Class 8 tractor that has been in manufacturing since final yr and delivered to clients throughout the nation, together with JB Hunt, Schneider, Walmart, Penske, UPS and US Meals to call just a few. It additionally joins the MT50e walk-in van and the Thomas Constructed electrical faculty bus in Daimler’s electrical product suite.
[Related: Daimler Truck launches new electric truck brand]
The Class 6/7 eM2, constructed on the M2 106 Plus platform, expands CO2-neutral transportation to the medium-duty section, designed for pickup and supply, beverage supply, lease rental and different purposes, together with refrigeration with an electrical energy takeoff (ePTO) integration choice – all segments excellent for the battery electrical market due to the comparatively quick, return to base nature of the routes.Angel Coker
At launch, she stated the eM2 can be obtainable with 26-foot physique purposes. Greg Treinen, DTNA director of on-highway market improvement, stated the eM2 consists of the Detroit ePowertrain with proprietary eAxles and batteries which have already been nicely examined within the eCascadia.
“The eM2 is predicated on the M2 106 Plus (diesel) platform. That has been the medium-duty workhorse over the previous two-plus many years,” he stated. “We felt that as we have been growing our e-mobility effort for the medium-duty house it was necessary to have that degree of familiarization – having a easy transition for our clients in that house to battery electrical and having a variety of the identical advantages our clients expertise with the M2 106 Plus with the visibility, turning radius, ingress/egress… So it’s a truck our clients, our fleets [and] our drivers could have a degree of familiarization with.”
The eM2 Class 6 single-motor configuration supplies as much as 190 steady horsepower and a 194 kWh battery pack for a typical vary of 180 miles with a single cost. The eM2 Class 7 dual-motor configuration supplies as much as 255 steady horsepower and a 291 kWh battery for a typical vary of 250 miles. The battery pack has a proprietary battery facet influence safety for additional security.
The car minimizes vitality price per mile by eradicating the drivetrain and different mechanical parts in favor of a lighter, easier design, which packages the electrical motors and 2-speed transmission immediately onto the drive axles. A number of battery measurement choices can be found so clients can discover the appropriate stability between vary/runtime and value.
“By integrating the motor within the axle versus a central motor, we’ve been in a position to save weight and effectivity by eliminating the driveline. We’re additionally optimizing weight and house by integrating it with the axle versus consuming valuable house the place the batteries are presently, optimizing wheelbase as nicely,” Rabideau stated. “By finding the motor within the heart of the axle, we will use industry-standard wheel ends so the braking methods, the wheels [and] the tires all could be shared with what we’re spec’ing on our diesel automobiles.”
On the within, the eM2 options an ergonomic wraparound dashboard with a touchscreen LCD show that’s totally customizable for the motive force. Constructed with Detroit Join, which gives new eServices and supplies charging data and car well being knowledge in realtime, the eM2 permits fleet managers to plan new routes with realtime vary prediction, updating routinely for site visitors, climate, topography and different circumstances; monitor battery well being and state-of-charge for a number of items in realtime; and accumulate knowledge for post-trip evaluation reviews, which may also help coach drivers to maximise vitality effectivity and battery lifespan.
The eM2 additionally consists of the Detroit Assurance suite of security methods, which incorporates energetic brake help 5.0, tailgate warning, adaptive cruise management to 0 mph, lane-departure warning, clever high-beams, computerized wipers/headlamps and facet guard help.
Vocational choices
The eM2 and eCascadia each gathered greater than 1.5 million check miles throughout buyer trials. Now, DTNA is partnering with a number of firms for buyer trials to increase the eM2 to the vocational markets.
[Related: DTNA leveraging customer feedback to refine electric strategy]
DTNA has launched an eM2 vocational innovation program with leaders within the truck tools manufacturing {industry} and their clients to concentrate on offering zero-emission options for the distinctive necessities of vocational clients and purposes. This program notably targets the utility, sweeper, dump, towing and restoration and refuse segments, and can be packaged and designed for optimum body house utilization with minimal influence on upfit, particularly within the utility section.
Altec, which supplies services to the electrical utility, telecommunications, tree care, lights and indicators and contractor markets, joined DTNA at ACT Expo this week to showcase one of many battery electrical utility vehicles.
Brian Daniels, DTNA vp of vocational nationwide accounts, stated battery electrical know-how suits nicely within the vocational {industry}, much like the bus and walk-in van, due to the quick routes related to these kind of car purposes.
“I feel the vocational market is the right space to speak about (electrification),” Daniels stated. “The important thing takeaway is there isn’t a one-size-fits-all.”
Angel Coker
The eM2 vocational configurations can be customizable. For instance, the Altec utility car battery is used to carry out features with the growth and bucket along with drive time. The utility car showcased at ACT Expo additionally featured a battery standing system on the growth so operators can have a visible consciousness of how a lot battery life is left to get them down and again to residence base from the job website. Daniels stated a avenue sweeper that operates a brief distance however for a protracted time frame at sluggish speeds would wish completely different customization.
The eM2 vocational automobiles are focusing on these specs: a 330 kWh battery capability with the potential to go as much as 150 miles; wheelbases between 155 and 220 inches; solely 10 inches of back-of-cab protrusion house for battery; and each electrical and mechanical ePTO choices to help hydraulic and battery-powered physique tools utilizing the car’s HV battery.
