Freightliner Delivers Charging Infrastructure For eCascadias

Mar 18, 2021 - 4 years ago

Southern California Edison (SCE), the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, recently used a Freightliner eCascadia to deliver an electrical transformer to Schneider (NYSE: SNDR), a premier provider of trucking, intermodal and logistics services, to one of its trucking terminals in Los Angeles.

The transformer will be used to supply power to electric vehicles and support Schneider’s deployment of battery-electric trucks, like the Freightliner eCascadia.

SCE and Schneider are both participants in the Freightliner Customer Experience (CX) Fleet, operating battery-electric Class 8 eCascadias to inform future purchasing plans and provide invaluable feedback to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) as the company readies to launch the production version in 2022.

“Schneider’s commitment to sustainability is getting a significant boost with the installation of our charging array at our Southern California terminal,” said Schneider Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Rob Reich. "We are on the path to a cleaner future.”

Schneider’s plans for eCascadia include use in local and regional delivery and pick up. Through the course of operation, Schneider will analyze the best type of load, freight characteristics and areas of operation for the vehicle’s range, charging requirements to help maximize duty cycle, and assess additional facility modifications needed to accommodate electric trucks.

Freightliner’s CX Fleet is partially supported by a partnership between DTNA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) which focuses on improving air quality in large portions of Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley.

“Cooperation like this underscores the common goals we all share,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s Executive Officer. “We are pleased to see these companies work together to promote the viability of all-electric, heavy-duty trucks. We hope to see more infrastructure as we work towards cleaner air.”

SCE is the first utility to test an electric truck from Freightliner and began using the eCascadia in November of 2020 for material transport, and moving heavy equipment like transformers, wire reels and switch gears. The charger installation was overseen by the eConsulting group of DTNA which assists Freightliner customers with navigating the complete EV ecosystem as they place electric trucks from Freightliner, or other companies, into operation. Services include charging and infrastructure assessment and planning and optimization.

Source: Freightliner