With the handover of the first fully electric Freightliner eM2, Daimler Trucks starts day-to-day operation testing of heavy-duty and medium-duty e-trucks in the United States.

On 20 December Daimler‘s subsidiary Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) handed over the first medium-duty Freightliner eM2 to US customer Penske Truck Leasing Corporation in Los Angeles. Penske Truck Leasing is going to operate the electric truck in local distribution traffic in the Northwest Pacific and in California. In the course of 2019, Penske Truck Leasing Corporation will receive 20 fully electric Freightliner trucks: 10 medium-duty eM2 and 10 eCascadia for heavy-duty transportation. In total the Freightliner‘s innovation fleet will include 30 vehicles. The series production is planned for 2021.

“Penske is honoured to be the first company to put this new medium-duty electric truck into service,” said Brian Hard, president and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. “I commend and thank Roger Nielsen and his team at Daimler Trucks North America for their outstanding collaboration and spirit of co-creation with us over the last nine months to bring this innovative technology to market. Penske is committed to providing the most effective vehicle technologies to our customers and driving innovation and sustainability when it comes to mobility.”

Martin Daum, Daimler board member responsible for Trucks and Buses, said Daimler aims to be frontrunners with electric trucks just as they are with conventional trucks.

“When it comes to innovations the demands of our customers are pivotal for us. Together we develop solutions for the future of trucks.”