Truckload Authority - August/September 2018

the 600-mile-range it’s $180,000. A base reservation fee for a Tesla Semi is
$20,000, according to the Tesla website.
Kenworth last year rolled out hydrogen-electric prototypes that are to be
used first at Southern California ports.
A prototype Kenworth T680 tractor equipped with a parallel hybrid electric
propulsion system made its public debut at the Advanced Clean Transportation
(ACT) Expo earlier this year. The Kenworth T680 vehicle is part of the
Hybrid Emission Cargo Transport (HECT) demonstration project. It’s funded in
part by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the U.S.
Department of Energy and the SCAQMD.
The T680 HECT truck uses the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero (NZ)
emission engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) in combination
with a generator to extend the truck’s battery range. The truck has a 30-mile
zero emissions range using the electricity stored in the lithium-ion batteries.
When the batteries are depleted, the near-zero emission engine turns on to
generate more energy, extending the truck’s range up to 250 miles.
Kenworth’s partner in developing the truck’s parallel hybrid electric propulsion
system is BAE Systems.
“Our near-zero emission hybrid-electric Kenworth T680 has been developed
to evaluate potential alternatives to diesel power for commercial
vehicles,” said Kenworth’s Director of Product Planning Stephan Olsen. “We
believe that in certain applications, such as drayage and regional hauling,
the T680 HECT truck will be an excellent solution for local clean air regulations,
while delivering performance our customers expect. Later this year,
when the truck is placed into service with Total Transportation Services, Inc.
(TTSI) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, we anticipate it will perform
equally, or even better than, current diesel trucks.”
Both the T680 HECT and T680 ZECT are currently still in development and
testing.
Daimler officials recently said the OEM is providing more than 30 Freightliner
eCascadias and eM2 electric trucks to Penske Truck Leasing Corp.,
which provides leasing and contract maintenance, safety and compliance
assistance, and NFI Industries, a third-party supply chain solutions provider.
Penske and NFI will be testing the trucks in all weight categories in a joint
venture with Daimler.
According to Daimler, it’s the first OEM in the world to test electrified
trucks in all weight classes. Daimler also is working with customers on route
planning, development of charging infrastructure and service support.
Ten Freightliner eCascadias are going to NFI for drayage efforts from the
Los Angeles and Long Beach ports to warehouses and distribution hubs in
California’s western Riverside and southwestern San Bernardino counties.
According to Daimler, the eCascadia will have up to 730 peak horsepower
at the start of production, with batteries providing 550 Kwh usable capacity
with a range of up to 250 miles and the ability to charge up to 80 percent
(about 200 miles) in about 90 minutes.
The Class 8 tractor is designed for local and regional distribution and
drayage.
The Freightliner eM2 is at present slated for local distribution and lastmile
delivery services and will initially have up to 480 peak horsepower,
with batteries providing 325 Kwh of usable capacity and a range of up to 230
miles. It will able to charge up to 80 percent (approximately 184 miles) in
about 60 minutes.
“We will begin series production of our eCascadia Class 8 heavy-duty
battery electric truck in 2021; we will also begin series production of our
medium-duty eM2 in 2021,” said Daimler Trucks North America’s Juretzka.
This spring, Volvo unveiled its first all-electric truck, the Volvo FL Electric,
then three weeks later showed off the Volvo FE Electric, which Volvo spokesmen
said is designed for heavier city distribution and refuse transport operations,
with gross vehicle weights of up to 27 tons. Sales of the FE electric will
begin in Europe next year.
Volvo called the FE just the latest example of the OEM’s “ongoing work to offer
fully-electric vehicles for applications best-suited for electric vehicles at this time.”
Volvo Trucks President Claes Nilsson said in cities the aim will be to “improve
air quality, reduce traffic noise and cut congestion during peak hours,”
with the electric trucks delivering goods “quietly and without tail-pipe
exhaust emissions early in the morning and late at night.”
The FE Electric and FL Electric both use lithium-ion batteries; the FE and
has a range just under 125 miles, while the Volvo FL has a range of around
186 miles.
According to Jonas Odermalm, product line president for both trucks,
Volvo has “close partnerships with suppliers of charging infrastructure.”
Somehow, it always comes back to the infrastructure.
Next: More about how OEMs are working with customers on the charging
infrastructure for electric vehicles.
TCA 2018 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 21