Mack MD Electric production underway as early fleet customers begin EV operations
Fleet customers are beginning to receive early orders for the MD Electric, Mack Trucks’ second all-electric truck that recently started production. Like its diesel counterpart, the battery-electric version is available as a Class 6 or Class 7 truck.
Some early fleet customers participated in a pilot test of the MD Electric in 2023, which led to its serial production at Volvo Group’s Roanoke Valley Operations in Virginia, the same place Mack assembles the diesel-powered MD Series.
“The third one that you’ll see running up and down the California coast is Mission Linen,” George Fotopoulos, Mack Trucks VP, said during NTEA’s Work Truck Week in Indianapolis. “They distribute uniforms and linens to various businesses.”
According to Ryan Severson, general manager of Western Truck Centers, Mission Linen’s dealer, Mission Linen is piloting the electric truck to lead sustainability efforts in Northern California. The Mack MD Electric will be the first electric truck in Mission’s fleet. Mission’s MD Electric will operate in northern and southern California and use the BEV to distribute uniforms and linens to its customers.
“Mission Linen has a strong relationship with Western Truck Centers and Mack Trucks,” Severson said. “They participated in the pilot because they wanted to determine if it was a good fit for their business. The Mack MD Electric is pound for pound the best in the medium-duty EV industry and the most adaptive.”
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Fotopoulos said that Pronto Freight Ways in Metro Detroit is using the MDE for pickup and delivery of palletized cargo outside the West Coast. The fleet’s EV runs within a 60-mile radius around Wayne and Oakland counties in Michigan. Pronto has 25 diesel-powered Mack MD Series vehicles and 25 heavy-duty Macks.
“We’re thrilled that the Mack MD Electric is in full production and that customers are beginning to take delivery of the trucks,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “We built on the success of the diesel-powered Mack MD Series to bring an electric vehicle to the medium-duty market to help customers meet their sustainability goals with the same Mack promise of durability and reliability.”
Mack MD Electric available as Class 6 or Class 7
The MD Electric is designed to meet the needs of trucking applications for dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed, and dump vocations. The MD6 model does not require a commercial driver’s license to operate for non-hazardous payloads.
Mack first announced the MD Electric one year ago during Work Truck Week 2023. It is the OEM’s second EV after the Mack LR Electric, a vocational refuse truck in production since 2021. Like its diesel version, the Mack MD Electric is available in Class 6 and Class 7 ratings. The Class 6 model has a GVWR of 25,995 lb., and the Class 7 is 33,000 lb. According to Mack, both models are exempt from the 12 percent Federal Excise Tax.
See also: Diesel’s dominance continues as trucking plans clean energy shift
The MD Electric’s three-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor and all onboard accessories are powered by nickel manganese cobalt oxide lithium-ion batteries, available in 150kWh or 240kWH configurations. The MD Electric can be charged through AC or DC charging units. The regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the multiple stops the vehicle makes each day.
Developed for medium-duty applications, the Mack MD Electric is available in 4x2 configurations featuring a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability in tight urban settings. The MD Series cab design features a short bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement of 103 in. Like the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, Mack matched the look and styling of the Mack Anthem, Mack’s highway model, as a basis for the MD Electric grille and hood design.
Mack Certified Electric Vehicle dealers can service the Mack MD Electric.
