Freightliner eCascadia

Presenting the Tesla Semi's Latest Rival, Daimler's Freightliner eCascadia

The electric Semi truck wars now has a new contender in the mix to achieve Class 8 supremacy with the Freightliner eCascadia.

This week, Daimler Trucks announced an electric version of the Freightliner eCascadia, the U.S.'s best selling heavy-duty truck, at a Portland International Raceway investor meeting. Named eCascadia, it will pack up to 730 peak horsepower using a 550 kWh battery for a 250-mile range with a 90-minute full charge, giving the Tesla Semi a run for its money.

Hauling Out

With an 80,000-pound load rating, It is being marked as a last-mile delivery vehicle, with ideal transport routes between 45 to 150 miles long.

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"These innovative trucks reflect DTNA's commitment to bring practical, game-changing technology to market, " said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America.

"The eCascadia, utilizing North America's bestselling Class 8 platform, and eM2 106, based on one of the most in-demand medium-duty truck designs, are built on validated, series production trucks in extensive use by our customers every day," he added.

A 30-vehicle fleet will be delivered to customers by the end of the year for field testing before the Freightliner eCascadia goes into production by 2021.

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