Penske Logistics says it has logged more than 10,000 over-the-road miles while making multiple, daily store deliveries on dedicated routes in Southern California for a quick-service restaurant chain using two, electric Freightliner Innovation Fleet eCascadias.
The company believes it is the first truck fleet operator in the United States to achieve this feat.
“For a fleet that runs trucks 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, 10,000 miles may not seem like a milestone, but we believe we are the first fleet in the United States to make daily store deliveries using battery electric heavy-duty tractors for regional distribution,” said Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics. “We are extremely proud of our dedicated team and thankful to our partners at Freightliner and Daimler Trucks North America.
“Without them, this landmark would not have been possible. We’re quite impressed with the performance of the eCascadia.”
The eCascadias operated by Penske are part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet, which is testing the integration of battery electric trucks in large-scale fleet operations. The Freightliner Innovation Fleet is supported by a partnership between Daimler Trucks North America and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which focuses on improving air quality in California’s South Coast Basin and partially funded the Innovation Fleet with a nearly $16 million grant.
Penske took delivery of its first eCascadia on Aug 20 and plans to deploy 10 of them in its Southern California operations. The fleet is supported by a network of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations at five Penske Truck Leasing facilities in Southern California. Penske also performs preventive maintenance at these locations.
Penske provides dedicated contract carriage services through its network in North America with more than 5,500 safe, professional drivers, and a modern truck fleet integrated with advanced safety systems, transportation management and real-time freight tracking systems, the company said. Truck drivers from Penske Logistics handle deliveries for a variety of market-leading companies in industries including automotive, food, grocery and beverage, manufacturing, quick-service restaurants and convenience store chains.
