Penske Truck Leasing took delivery of one of the first Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) Freightliner electric eCascadia Class 8 trucks at a ceremony in Yountville, California, August 20, 2019. The truck is part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet.
“Co-creation is the cornerstone of DTNA’s strategy to rapidly develop and deploy battery-electric trucks. DTNA’s partnerships with customers like Penske provide valuable feedback for the final design of our trucks, as well as the design of the surrounding e-mobility ecosystem,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of DTNA. “DTNA’s holistic approach is vital to advancing viable transportation solutions from which society as a whole will benefit.”
The Freightliner Innovation Fleet is supported by a partnership between DTNA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) which focuses on improving air quality in the South Coast Basin and partially funded the Innovation Fleet with a nearly $16M grant. Freightliner eCascadias and medium-duty electric Freightliner eM2s from the Innovation Fleet are operated within the South Coast AQMD jurisdiction.
“We are excited to be a part of this ground breaking project that will directly impact local Southern California communities, especially those disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s Executive Officer. “We hope to see large scale deployments of similar zero emission trucks that will have significant environmental and health benefits across the entire state.”
Penske Truck Leasing will run eCascadias in daily delivery operations within California’s Inland Empire. “We’re pleased to continue our collaboration with Freightliner and be among the first companies putting the eCascadia to work,” said Brian Hard, president and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. “Our first eCascadia will be used by our subsidiary Penske Logistics to make multiple, daily store deliveries on a dedicated route. Our in-house maintenance technicians are trained and well prepared, and our recent investments in charging infrastructure in the South Coast Air Basin will play an important role as we operate these cutting edge vehicles on their delivery routes.”
The Freightliner eCascadia is built on the proven foundation of the Cascadia, the best-selling Class 8 on the market and was first revealed in June 2018 along with the medium-duty eM2. The planned start of series production for both models is late 2021. In preparation for their introduction, Freightliner has established multiple avenues for co-creating with customers. Freightliner’s Electric Vehicle Council, a collective of 38 customer companies works to address the total e-mobility ecosystem. Freightliner’s Innovation Fleet provides customers with the opportunity to fully test the eM2 and the eCascadia in real world use. In total, Penske and NFI will receive 30 battery electric trucks.
Penske Truck Leasing has completed a second round of electric vehicle maintenance training at its facility in San Diego, California. Ten Penske technicians from five locations in southern California, where Penske’s electric fleet is domiciled, participated in the daylong training on maintenance procedures for commercial electric vehicles.
“Prior to our training sessions, we conducted a great deal of research and spent time working with the OEMs to understand the vehicles and mold our established maintenance practices to meet what’s required for commercial EVs,” explained Mike Hasinec, vice president of maintenance at Penske. “Our technicians are excited to work on these new battery-electric vehicles and learn the nuances through the curriculum we’ve established.”
In addition to training Penske technicians on maintenance procedures, every associate at these five facilities is educated on proper EV safety procedures. On hand in San Diego, were ten California Highway Patrol officers who also took part in the training from a safety perspective.
This is just the beginning for Penske when it comes to EVs and maintenance. Additional training sessions and workshops are on the horizon as the company continues to grow its electric fleet and further its commitment to being on the forefront of vehicle electrification.
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By Kim Harmsen
Paul Rosa, senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning for Penske Truck Leasing will be a panelist at the upcoming Edison Electric Institute (EEI) 2019 Conference in Philadelphia.
The panel titled: Getting to Scale: Preparing for Fleet Electrification takes place Tuesday, June 11 at 3 p.m. E.T. at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.
Penske Truck Leasing has been an early leader in the field of alternative fuels for commercial vehicles including commercial electric vehicles. Rosa will discuss Penske Truck Leasing’s efforts to help bring commercial electric trucks to market as well as its ongoing cooperation with leading truck-maker Daimler Trucks North America, and its recent industry first of establishing 14 high-power, high-speed commercial electric vehicle charging stations in California.
Penske Truck Leasing, which operates and maintains a fleet of more than 316,000 vehicles, has already announced the addition of light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial electric trucks to its fleet. Penske is an industry leader in the areas of spec'ing, operating and maintaining fleets of traditionally fueled vehicles as well as alternative-fueled vehicles that include electric, natural gas, propane, and diesel-electric hybrids.
EEI 2019 is the electric power industry’s premier event, bringing together top executives, policymakers and industry partners for two days of thought leadership, networking and engagement. Featuring expanded breakout content, compelling keynotes and abundant networking, EEI 2019 promises to expand your professional network while delivering innovative content from industry experts.
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By "Move Ahead" Staff
Penske Truck Leasing remains at the forefront of commercial vehicle electrification and will return to the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition to present during Technical Session No. 3: International Forces Driving Electric Vehicle Standardization.
This session will cover the implications for facility and operations planning when it comes to EV standardization. Mike Hasinec, vice president of maintenance support at Penske Truck Leasing, will take part in the session and focus his portion of the presentation on:
Taking place from March 18-21 in Atlanta, Georgia, the annual expo draws trucking’s leading fleet professionals, vehicle manufacturers, and component suppliers.
Penske is committed to bringing customers the latest viable innovative vehicle technologies. In December 2018, the company announced taking possession of a Freightliner eM2 medium-duty electric commercial truck from Daimler trucks North America. The truck is the first of ten that Penske will take delivery of through 2019.
By "Move Ahead" Staff