Autocar launches electric terminal tractor

Autocar has built a zero-emission, all-electric version of its Autocar ACTT terminal tractor, dubbed the E-ACTT, which will be available in late 2021.

According to Autocar, the E-ACTT terminal tractor meets regulatory mandates for the vocational truck industry to reduce fuel consumption by 24% by model year 2027 and, in California, to transition diesel trucks to zero-emission trucks.

“The E-ACTT is the same reliable, heavy duty Autocar ACTT but is all electric,” said Mark Aubry, general manager of Terminal Tractor division for Autocar Truck. “Autocar Truck has been a key innovator in the EV truck market dating back to 1923 when we designed our first two EV trucks, Autocar Truck E1 and E2.”

The E-ACTT electric powertrain with telemetry/diagnostic systems were designed specifically for severe-duty application by Vorza, an electric fleet vehicle development team that worked directly with Autocar Truck to create a 24/7 powertrain capable of handling the rigorous demands of semi-trailer yard spotting and container handling.

“The E-ACTT is the only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) terminal tractor, with an OEM developed electric vehicle system, all Autocar,” said Andrew Taitz, chairman of Autocar Truck.

Designed specifically for spotting trailers and containers at distribution centers, warehouse/trucking yards, industrial operations, intermodal/rail terminals, and port terminals, Autocar’s E-ACTT terminal tractor’s features include:

• Custom-built for vocational and site-specific needs
• "The tallest, widest, deepest cab and door combination in the industry"
• Cab noise and temperature insulation and matting
• A hydraulics system with fast up/down speeds
• Easy ingress/egress
• Tractor-trailer auto-lock system
• Four-point cab air suspension
• Autocar Solutions, factory-direct service
• Choice of warranty service either in-house or by a third party

“From our customer sight testing experiences, we expect the Autocar E-ACTT to have lower overall maintenance costs than its diesel counterpart,” explained Eric Schwartz, president of Autocar’s Terminal Tractor business in Hagerstown, Indiana. “Our EV technology eliminates the need for a lot of necessary preventive maintenance, such as oil changes, transmission service, fan belts, air filters, and other traditional fuel-based engine services. Plus, it eliminates the need and cost to completely replace the diesel engine at approximately 25,000 working hours. Fewer moving parts in a robust EV design means increased savings for owners and longer terminal tractor service lifecycles.”

With advanced monitoring systems and telematics in every unit, the E-ACTT terminal tractor aims to provide cost savings for both predictive and preventive maintenance as well as improve a fleet’s productivity and efficiency by maximizing uptime. With Autocar’s telematics, each tractor can predict when maintenance is needed, allowing the fleet owner to reduce or eliminate downtime and generate cost savings, the company stated.