electric vehicle Archives

Mack Trucks adds second electric vehicle to lineup

Mack Trucks is bringing a second electric vehicle to its line of trucks.

Mack Trucks has revealed its new Mack MD Electric, the company’s first electric vehicle in the medium-duty segment of the trucking industry.

The MD Electric is the second electric vehicle introduced by Mack Trucks to the industry. The first was the Mack LR Electric, which went into production in the Lehigh Valley in December 2021.

The MD Electric was designed to complement its diesel-powered MD model sibling, which has experienced growing customer demand since its introduction in 2020.

The addition of a zero-tailpipe emissions battery-electric vehicle (BEV) to the Mack medium-duty lineup also supports the company’s long-term sustainability goals, said Martin Weissburg, global president of Mack Trucks.

“Mack established itself as an electrification leader with the heavy-duty Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle, and we’re excited to add the MD Electric to our zero-tailpipe emissions lineup,” said Weissburg. “This is another important step in our efforts to drive decarbonization and a more sustainable future, and we plan to continue investing in technologies that help improve the environment and society.”

The MD Electric was designed to meet the needs of trucking applications requiring dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed and dump vocations. The MD6 model does not require a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to operate for non-hazardous payloads.

“The Mack MD Electric joins the full lineup of Class 6 to 8 vehicles Mack offers to help customers meet their application needs,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Building on the success of the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, the Mack MD Electric will help our customers meet their sustainability goals without sacrificing the durability, reliability and total cost of ownership for which Mack is known.”

Pennsylvania launches $12.7M effort to electrify freight trucks

In an effort to improve air quality by supporting the electrification of the state’s freight trucks, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has launched a $12.7 million Driving PA Forward initiative.

The initiative is being called “Electrifying Truck Fleets for Cleaner Air in Our Communities.”

Driving PA Forward is the set of grant and rebate programs the Wolf administration established in 2018 with Pennsylvania’s share of the national settlement with Volkswagen Group of America for cheating on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions tests.

To date, more than $70 million in Driving PA Forward funding has been awarded to reduce air pollution by replacing old diesel vehicles with cleaner transportation options and encouraging the adoption of zero-emission vehicles by investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure statewide.

“Our newest Driving PA Forward initiative aims to support transformational scale electrification of local trucks to improve air quality in communities with some of the highest air pollution levels in Pennsylvania,” said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh. “A growing number of communities are proactively pursuing healthier air quality and greenhouse emission reductions. They’re interested in zero-emission electric options for the kinds of trucks that travel their neighborhoods on a regular basis. To help their transition to electric vehicles, DEP will provide at least 75% and, in some cases, 100% of funding to electrify local freight truck fleets.”

The funds will be made available to local governments, businesses, and nonprofits to replace at least five old diesel trucks with new all-electric versions. However, the DEP said for smaller fleets, an exception may be made to support three electric trucks.

The funding will cover local freight trucks, such as garbage, recycling, utility, and delivery trucks, as well as charging infrastructure and installation. Grantees will have two years to scrap their old diesel vehicles and get the new electric truck fleets on the road.

The DEP will provide 90% of project funding to local municipalities, or 100% if a municipality is in Act 47 financially distressed status. DEP will provide 75% of project funding to nongovernment applicants.

Projects serving environmental justice areas, high traffic density areas, and Act 47 financially distressed municipalities are a top priority for funding.

“This new Driving PA Forward initiative will help respond to concerns we’ve heard directly from residents of environmental justice communities about air quality issues, by helping to get some of the most regularly seen and polluting vehicles on neighborhood streets converted to cleaner electric alternatives,” said DEP Environmental Justice Director Justin Dula.

A second priority of Electrifying Truck Fleets for Cleaner Air in Our Communities is meeting the demand for real-world information on transitioning to electric trucks in Pennsylvania.

Grant recipients are expected to provide data on how they purchased their electric trucks as well as operational data on fleet performance.

“We know from our work with community and business leaders that their interest in electric trucks is matched by a need for logistical information. How long does an electric truck take to charge? How long does the charge last? What’s the cost to operate? What are the fuel savings?” said Ziadeh. “With two years of on-the-ground data from grantees, we’ll develop case studies to expand the knowledge base on electric truck operation, performance, and maintenance in Pennsylvania.”

PennDOT to distribute $171.5 million in funding for electric vehicle charging

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will receive and distribute $171.5 million in formula funds for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over the next five years as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Funding for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) in the first federal fiscal year is $25,4 million, and grantees will be required to provide a minimum 20 percent match.

Resources are available to help businesses and organizations to prepare in advance of the NEVI Notice of Funding Opportunity, PennDOT announced. The funding opportunity is expected to be announced in late December 2022 or early January 2023.

PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said the NEVI program will help Pennsylvania build out its EV charging infrastructure.

“As this is a new program for Pennsylvania and the nation at large,” said Gramian, “we want to give our partners and businesses as much opportunity as possible to prepare for application submission to support our efforts of transparency and equity.”

Information regarding applicant eligibility, eligible projects, and costs both eligible and ineligible is included in the NEVI Grant pre-announcement resources. An interactive map identifying existing AFC-qualifying stations and grouped interchanges based on priority through a gap analysis has also been created by PennDOT. Businesses and organizations seeking recommendations on preparing for the grant opening can review the “How to Get Ready” section on PennDOT’s website.

An informational webinar on the 2022 NEVI Grant Program will be hosted by PennDOT on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, from 10 AM to noon. Aimed at audiences interested in applying for the NEVI grant program, the webinar will provide information on eligibility, types of projects funded, how to apply, eligible and non-eligible costs, and application best practices.

NEVI stakeholder sessions featuring an opportunity to expand professional connections and partnership are being held across the state. Individuals interested in the sessions can register on PennDOT’s “Learn About NEVI” webpage.

As Pennsylvania has more than 1,800 miles of designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFC), NEVI grant funding will support both the commonwealth and federal goal of expanding EV charging along AFCs and interstate lookalikes. NEVI formula funds must first be used to build out AFCs and meet U.S. DOT standards and requirements, per guidance from U.S. DOT.

Pennsylvania’s traveler information system – 511PA – includes EV charging station locations on its traffic map. This system is designed to enhance traveler information for EV drivers and lists locations across the commonwealth by connector type, including CCS, J1722, CHAdeMO, Tesla, and NEMA.

Individuals interested in additional information on NEVI funds in Pennsylvania or reviewing PennDOT’s announcement resources can visit the PennDOT website at penndot.pa.gov.

Mack announces sale of two electric refuse vehicles

Miami-Dade County recently purchased a Mack LR electric refuse vehicle. PHOTO/SUBMITTED –

Mack Truck has announced the sale of two electric refuse vehicles this week, both of which were assembled at its Lehigh Valley operations.

Mack recently announced a target of 35 percent of its global sales will be fully electric by 2030, which the Mack LR Electric will help fulfill.

Miami-Dade County executives have introduced the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle it purchased to help the County improve resiliency and sustainability. The Mack LR Electric is Miami-Dade’s first heavy-duty electric vehicle purchase for its fleet.

The Mack LR Electric offers zero tailpipe emissions, improved sustainability and a quieter vehicle for refuse collection.

The Town of Cary, North Carolina, also recently ordered a Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle.

Mack said the truck will provide the community with reduced emissions, maintenance and fuel costs and is expected to be in full operation in the fall of 2023.

This order makes Cary the first municipality in North Carolina to order a Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle.

“Mack congratulates the Town of Cary on their pursuit of sustainable operations and is proud that they have chosen to purchase and deploy a Mack LR Electric to help achieve their goals,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “We look forward to continuing our commitment to developing sustainable transportation solutions with Cary and our other customers, as well as helping them fulfill their environmental goals.”

Mack Trucks now taking orders for electric refuse truck

Mack Trucks announced today that its next generation Mack LR Electric battery-electric vehicle is now available for order. PHOTO/COURTESY MACK TRUCK –

Mack Trucks announced Wednesday that its next generation Mack LR Electric battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is available for order.

The Class 8 Mack LR Electric refuse truck model offers customers a more sustainable option for refuse and recycling collection.

Mack began production of the LR Electric in 2021 at its Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, where all Class 8 Mack vehicles for North America and export are assembled.

“Mack Trucks, the market leader in the refuse industry, is also a leader in e-mobility, and this is another step forward in our ongoing electrification journey,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “Customer feedback about the Mack LR Electric has been extremely positive, and we look forward to continuing to advance electrification to fulfill the needs of our customers.”

The next generation LR Electric features 42 percent more energy than previous models and a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity offering an increased range.

“Mack continues to make investments in e-mobility, and we are pleased that this next generation LR Electric further improves our offering,” said Scott Barraclough, Mack senior product manager of e-mobility. “Our dealers also are becoming EV certified, so customers will have the same level of service and support they have come to expect from Mack and its extensive dealer network.”

Mack said it has EV-certified dealers in California, Idaho and Montreal, Quebec, and many more are working toward achieving EV Certification status.

Mack to begin commercial production of electric refuse truck

Mack Trucks today announced plans to commercialize the Mack LR Electric refuse model, which will be manufactured in Lower Macungie. PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Mack Truck has announced that it will commercialize the Mack LR Electric refuse truck it has been testing, and the trucks will be manufactured in the Lehigh Valley.

The company said it plans to begin production on the trucks at Mack Lehigh Valley in Lower Macungie Township in 2021. It will begin taking orders for the new trucks in the fourth quarter of this year.

After being introduced as a prototype in 2018, the company had been testing the truck with the New York City Department of Sanitation earlier this year.

“Mack’s leadership in the refuse segment goes back more than a century, and we’re pleased to build on that heritage today by announcing the commercialization of the LR Electric model,” said company president Martin Weissburg. “This clean, quiet and powerful truck demonstrates the very best of Mack innovation and our people, and I couldn’t be more proud to announce our plans to build it.”

The company said the new zero-emissions truck will help customers reach their own environmental goals as well as local emissions regulations.

It will also benefit customers working in an urban setting who are seeking to cut noise pollution and operate quietly at night.

“The LR Electric is paving the way toward widespread acceptance of zero-emissions refuse trucks,” Weissburg said. “As we begin delivering them to customers in the coming year, we remain committed to ensuring these trucks are built to meet the unique needs of the refuse industry.”

Mack demonstrates all-electric garbage truck

A day after announcing it would lay off more than 300 workers, Mack Trucks was able to show off what may be a vehicle of the future.

Unveiled in May, Mack held a demonstration on its Allentown customer care campus to show off the new Mack LR Electric, a fully electric version of the Mack LR refuse model.

The demonstration was for the Department of Sanitation of the City of New York, which will begin real-world testing the truck in the second quarter of this year.

Mack Trucks today demonstrated the Mack LR Electric, a fully electric version of the Mack LR refuse model, to officials from the New York City Department of Sanitation at its Allentown, Mack Customer Center.

The truck was driven around a test course set up on Mack Truck’s test track to show the maneuverability it would have on city streets.

The demonstration model will be used at the city’s Brooklyn North 1 garage where it will be tested on a local collection route.

“As a Department, we are committed to finding ways to become even cleaner and greener, and we are excited to be able to test this all electric ‘first’ – for both Mack Trucks and for the City of New York,” said Kathryn Garcia, commissioner of the New York Sanitation Department.

The truck will be evaluated for such things as operating range, payload capacity, regenerative braking performance and the overall functionality.

“New York City has a goal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by the year 2035. DSNY along with our more than 6,000 vehicles will play a major role as we push toward that goal,” said Rocky DiRico, deputy commissioner. “We’re looking at all kinds of technologies to help us achieve that reduction.”

DSNY is the world’s largest sanitation department, collecting more than 12,000 tons of refuse and recyclables daily.

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