Daimler Truck North America and Salem Carriers, a dedicated contract logistics company, recently collaborated to electrify DTNA’s inbound logistics operations at the Salem Carriers hub near Charlotte, North Carolina. This initiative is the latest effort in DTNA’s journey to electrify its logistics operations, building on previous integrations in the Pacific Northwest and Mexico.
Daimler Truck Financial Services is involved in the project, partnering with Electrada, a fleet electrification solutions company headquartered in Cincinnati. Together, they provide an all-in-one Charging-as-a-Service solution with a fixed and predictable monthly rate. This solution covers the development, operation, and maintenance of the charging infrastructure and the energy contract.
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The CaaS solution for Salem includes deployment, ownership, operation, and energy management of the fleet charging infrastructure at Salem’s Statesville, North Carolina, depot, complemented by en-route top-off charging at the Duke Energy/Electrada mobility microgrid in Mt. Holly, North Carolina. DTFS serves as the catalyst by reducing entry barriers with the new CaaS solution, integrating the vehicle lease, electric service program, insurance, and other key components into a unified, predictable cost structure for Salem.
Highlights of the initiative include:
- Continued electrification of inbound logistics: Building on previous DTNA initiatives in the Pacific Northwest and Mexico, the collaboration with Salem facilitates the integration of zero-emission vehicles into DTNA's supply chain, reinforcing the company's sustainability pledge. This mirrors Daimler Truck’s successful sustainable transportation initiative in Germany in 2023.
- First CaaS project deployment for DTFS with Electrada: The partnership with Electrada marks a milestone as DTFS’s inaugural implementation of CaaS, establishing a model for future electrification efforts.
- Custom electric service program: A tailored electric service program caters to specific operational needs and duty cycles for Salem’s DTNA operations, ensuring energy cost stability throughout the partnership.
- Integration with Duke Energy Microgrid: Located adjacent to DTNA’s eastern U.S. manufacturing facility, the Duke Energy/Electrada mobility microgrid will provide Salem with reliability-guaranteed electric fuel. This microgrid is supported by the nation’s first and most flexible utility-partnered setup, featuring solar generation, stationary energy storage capacity, and best-in-class energy management applications.
“This program with DTFS, Salem, and Electrada reinforces DTNA’s commitment to decarbonization throughout the supply chain by seamlessly using Daimler vehicle and energy solutions available to all logistics enterprises today,” said Jeff Allen, SVP of operations and specialty vehicles at DTNA. “Electrifying our inbound logistics operations is a clear testament to the reliability of DTNA’s electric Freightliner trucks, combined with high-performance charging infrastructure and rigorous energy management. There’s no better validation point to the market than being the customer of your own solution.”
