Daimler Trucks North America’s star brand Freightliner has unveiled its series production eM2 medium duty truck for urban pick-up and delivery applications, saying that. the truck is now available for North American customers to order with the start of full start production set for around te third quarter this year.
Local Daimler Trucks Australia spokesperson told us that the eM2 is not currently on the agenda for launch in Australia and is not even in the pipeline given it is not slated for right hand drive production at this point in time.
Freightliner says it has introduced the launched the eM2 with the goal of learning from real-world customer experiences in vocational applications.
“Expanding our electric product portfolio with the eM2 marks another historic moment for our customers and the industry on our joint journey to zero emissions,” said David Carson, senior vice president, sales and marketing for DTNA.
“With its versatility, the eM2 will be the perfect fit for pick-up and delivery customers who require an adaptable electric solution. Our vocational innovation vehicles are designed to set the stage to expand eM2 coverage into additional customer applications in the future,” Carson said.
The Class 6/7 eM2 expands DTNA’s CO2-neutral transportation to the medium-duty segment and is built on the Freightliner’s popular M2 106 Plus platform and has been introduced hot on the heels of the series production Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 heavy duty tractor,
DTNA says it is beginning full production of the Detroit-powered eM2 at its Portland truck manufacturing plant in the third quarter o
“Utilising the production experience from the eCascadia, the eM2 is the result of extensive co-creation with our customers and years of real-world testing,” said Rakesh Aneja, vice president and chief of eMobility for DTNA.
“For pick-up and delivery applications, the eM2 has a typical range of 180 miles for the Class 6 version and 250 miles for Class 7, and represents a reliable, efficient and sustainable solution,” Aneja said.
Freighliner says the eM2 is uses a proprietary, fully integrated, battery electric Detroit ePowertrain, including Detroit eAxles and batteries and minimises energy cost per mile by removing the drivetrain and other mechanical components in favour of a lighter, simpler design, which packages the electric motors and two-speed transmission directly onto the drive axles. The company says multiple battery size options are available, allowing customers to find the right balance between range/runtime and price The eM2 Class 6 single motor variant provides up to 190 continuous hp, using a 194 kWh battery and has a typical range of 290 km on one charge. The Class 7 dual-motor variant provides up to 255 continuous hp, a 291 kWh battery and a typical range of 400km on one charge.
Freighliner is claiming charging times using an appropriate DC fast charger, between one and six hours, depending on the battery’s state of charge.
Freightliner claims the eM2 delivers goods quietly through neighbourhoods and urban areas, without the sounds of a diesel engine accelerating or idling thanks to its zero-emission power technology, The company said for customers who require refrigeration configurations, an electric power takeoff (ePTO) option is available, enabling a choice of refrigeration units that can run on energy from the vehicle’s high voltage battery.
The trucks feature a full suite of safety systems according to Freighliner with a proprietary battery side impact protection and what it calls the Detroit Assurance safety systems, which includes Active Brake Assist (ABA) 5.0, Tailgate Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) to 0 km/h, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent High-Beams, Automatic Wipers/Headlamps and Side Guard Assist.
The company says the eM2 has a modern, intuitive dash and easy touch-screen interface which it claims makes it an ideal choice for fleets and drivers who need to stay productive on the road. Freightlienr also says the smooth acceleration and low noise levels of the eM2 thanks to its the electric powertrain provides ‘an impressive driving experience that reduces fatigue and makes the transition to electric easy for drivers in a range of industries’.
Thee trucks are also equipped with Detroit Connect, which offers new eServices and provides charging information and vehicle health data in real time, the eM2 allows fleet managers to plan new routes with real-time range prediction, updating automatically for traffic, weather, topography, and other conditions, monitor battery health and state-of-charge for multiple units in real-time and to collect data for post-trip analysis reports, which can help coach drivers to maximize energy efficiency and battery lifespan.
Feightliner says the eM2 also accumulated more than 2.4 million test kilometres in customer innovation and experience fleets driven in a variety or real-world applications in almost 50 real fleets operating across the US West Coast, as well as in New Jersey and Canada.
“The customer trials have transformed the testing process by collecting real-world vehicle performance experience according to Freightliner, while also providing the companies a chance to test the integration of battery electric trucks into their own fleets,” said Freighliner.
DTNA says it will begin running an eM2 vocational innovation program as part of its continuing effort to gain real-world experiences, with leaders in the Truck Equipment Manufacturing industry and their customers to focus on providing zero-emission solutions for the unique requirements of vocational customers and applications.
The company said the program particularly targets the utility, sweeper, dump, towing and recovery, and refuse segments and will be packaged and designed for maximum frame space utilisation with minimal impact on upfit, especially in the utility segment.
The company said the goal with the eM2 vocational innovation program is to offer operators the familiarity and experience of the M2 chassis while allowing for consistency and ease in the transition to battery electric operations. The Freightliner vocational innovation vehicles are validating new target specifications with work truck customers in the real world using up to 330 kWh of usable battery capacity, with a 240km range target, depending on the application.
