Mack Trucks Unveils Its First Medium-Duty EV
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Mack Trucks has introduced its first electric vehicle for the medium-duty market.
The Mack MD Electric, unveiled March 8, will be offered in Classes 6 and 7, with maximum gross vehicle weight ratings of 25,995 pounds and 33,000 pounds, respectively. Two batteries will be available; a 150-kilowatt unit with a maximum range of 140 miles, and a 240-kilowatt with a top range of 230 miles. Both can be charged using an industry standard CCS 1 connector for either AC or DC.
“We feel that this product is perfectly designed for the medium-duty market,” said Rich Million, Mack’s senior vice president of strategy and business development, during a press event at the NTEA Work Truck Show March 6-9 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
“The best application for electric, in our mind, is really this medium-duty segment, because most often it’s a closed-loop cycle where the truck is coming home every night and can be charged — oftentimes not running the full day as well, so there’s opportunity there. So, really, a perfect fit for the medium-duty segment and also for sustainability.”
We are thrilled to announce the Mack MD Electric, our newest addition to the medium-duty series. This truck is built for reliability, durability, and sustainability. Check it out at @WorkTruckWeek booth 3223, or visit our website to learn more: https://t.co/fOtE9C8Tik 🔋⚡ pic.twitter.com/AOJLhexc59 — Mack Trucks (@MackTrucks) March 8, 2023
The MD Electric is Mack’s second electric vehicle. The company introduced the Mack LR Electric, targeted to refuse applications, in December 2021.
The MD Electric will be available in 4x2 configurations, and features a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability in tight urban settings, Mack said. The design features a bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement of 103 inches. The truck comes standard with an air ride cab.
The Mack MD Electric will be offered in Classes 6 and 7. (Mack Trucks)
Power comes from a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor, and all onboard accessories are powered by the truck’s nickel manganese cobalt oxide lithium-ion batteries. An electric power takeoff will also be offered.
Mack aims to have 35% of its vehicle sales be zero-emission models by 2030, and has a goal of achieving a climate-neutral supply chain by 2040.
Mack says the MD Electric’s quick charging rate and high-capacity batteries pack plenty of range. (Mack Trucks)
Mack noted that the MD Electric is exempt from the 12% federal excise tax that is applied to most new truck purchases.
“We have our sustainability goals for Mack Trucks and we know many of our partners and customers also have sustainability goals, and this is going to be a great product to help them meet those, as well,” Million said.
Mack senior product manager of e-mobility Scott Barraclough noted that the MD Electric comes with a five-year service and maintenance agreement that covers the entire vehicle.
The Mack MD Electric will be produced alongside its Classes 6 and 7 diesel counterparts at the company’s Roanoke Valley Operations in Roanoke Valley, Va. Since launching medium-duty production at that facility in September 2020 — after a $13 million investment in the factory — Million noted that Mack has grown its share of the medium-duty segment from essentially zero to a 5.5% market share at the end of last year. The factory achieved a milestone of producing its first 5,000 medium-duty trucks by February 2022, and hit the 10,000-unit mark less than one year later, he said. In January Mack added a second manufacturing shift at the plant.
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