The benefits of fleet electrification are well-known, but the question of feasibility is still very real in the minds of many heavy fleet managers. To help fleets understand how electric trucks can fit into their operations, Mack Trucks is offering a mobile off-grid charging system.
Mack made the announcement earlier this week at the American Trucking Associations Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting, where they showed off renderings of a Mack MD Electric carrying a “renewable propane” powered generator and 120 kW charger. While somewhat clunky as a concept, it should do a reasonable enough job of pretending to be permanent infrastructure to give a fleet manager a sense of whether or not an electric solution will work for them.
“This system will allow the customer or dealer to charge trucks – whether it’s a demo unit or a multi-unit ride-and-drive event at the dealer – without having charging infrastructure readily available at their site,” says Ryan Saba, energy solutions manager for Mack Trucks. “Mack hopes that this option will help customers more easily experience the benefits of e-mobility and a more sustainable transportation option.”
Given the high demand for Mack’s MD range, it’s almost too bad that the system is mounted to a Mack MD Electric, as that’s the truck most likely to convince operators that the electric semi truck is more than ready for prime time!
To wit, the MD Electric be configured as a Class 6 or Class 7 truck, features a three-phase 260 hp motor powered by a massive 240 kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion battery pack good for up to 230 miles of range.
The MD Electric is the second electric truck Mack has put into production, following the Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse truck that’s been in series production since 2021 (with pilot programs dating back to 2019).
Electrek’s Take
There’s two types of sustainability that we talk about in the commercial space. Sustainability the first is whether or not the company will continue to do business and operate in a profitable manner, and sustainability the second is whether or not the company will continue to have a planet to do business on.
Regardless of which type of sustainability we’re talking about, it’s worries about that first kind that keep fleet managers awake at night. Mack’s new mobile charging infrastructure will go a long way toward helping them understand how electric vehicles can fit into their everyday jobs – and that means they’ll be one step closer to adoption.
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