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.
Mack MD Electric specs
Mack MD Electric features high-capacity nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, available with two battery packs for the Class 6 version and three battery packs for the Class 7 truck.
Class 6: 26,000 lb. GVWR
Class 7: 33,000 lb. GVWR (about 3,000 lb. heavier than diesel MD7)
Meritor axles
Class 6: 10,000 lb. front, 17,000 lb. rear (option: 19K or 21K)
Class 7: 12,000 lb. front, 21,000 lb. rear (option: 23K)
5.57 Ratio
Standard 10.25” x 2.75” 120k PSI HD Frame
Wheelbases: 206”, 221”, 236”, 251”, 270”
NMC battery packs
150 kWh (2 batteries)
240 kWh (3 batteries)
Combined charging system
AC charging rate: 19.2 kW
AC charging time: 7 hours (2 batteries), 11 hours (3 batteries)
DC charging rate: 80 kW
DC charging time: 100 min. (2 batteries), 160 min. (3 batteries)
Max range: 140 miles (2 batteries) / 230 miles (3 batteries)
Horsepower: 260 peak hp
Torque: 1,850 lb.-ft. max
Max payload: 19,400 lb.
“We continuously evaluate opportunities to increase sustainable operations and improve efficiency while meeting the needs of our customers,” said Seth Runser, president of ABF Freight, which is part of ArcBest (No. 29 on the FleetOwner 500: For-Hire). “Participating in this pilot is a great way to continue testing electric vehicles in our operational model and to advance our valued partnership with Mack. We have a longstanding relationship with Mack and have relied on their equipment for many years.”
See also: Mack offers mobile charging system to aid EV transition
ABF’s Mack MD Electric is used for pickup-and-delivery operations in Oakland, California. TEC Equipment in Oakland will service and support the Mack MD Electric for ABF, according to the OEM.
“ABF has prioritized good stewardship of our resources for decades—a practice that also drives efficiency in our operations,” Runser said. “By operating responsibly, we’re able to meet the evolving needs of our customers and make it easier for them to do business while simultaneously reducing waste and emissions.”
Other fleets already using the MD Electric include DC Logistics, Pronto Freight Ways, and Mission Linen Supply (No. 313 on the FleetOwner 500: Private).
DC Logistics uses the MDE for LTL applications in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. While the fleet already has four Class 8 EVs, the MD Electric is DC Logistics’ first electric medium-duty truck. The fleet operates in Arizona, Oregon, California, Texas, Louisiana, and Nevada.
“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.”
See also: Xos selling Mission Linen Supply its new electric step vans
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.
About the Author
Josh Fisher
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief Josh Fisher has been with FleetOwner since 2017. He covers everything from modern fleet management to operational efficiency, artificial intelligence, autonomous trucking, alternative fuels and powertrains, regulations, and emerging transportation technology. Based in Maryland, he writes the Lane Shift Ahead column about the changing North American transportation landscape.