Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) is using a battery-electric Freightliner Cascadia truck to deliver parts to its own aftermarket operations in Arizona working with its logistics provider JB Hunt Transport.
It builds on DTNA’s use of electric trucks for parts deliveries to manufacturing plants and parts distribution centres (PDCs) across North America, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan and across the Mexican border to Saltillo, Mexico.
Earlier in January DTNA’s division in Mexico delivered the first of two battery electric Freightliner eCascadias to Transportes Esteban. The electric Class 8 truck will be running in day-to-day plant operations in Daimler Truck Mexico’s truck manufacturing plant (TMP) in Santiago. At the same time, the truckmaker said the Santiago plant also became the official location of the second commercial vehicle charging facility in Mexico, specifically designed to support electric charging of heavy-duty trucks.
Discover how logistics and supply chain managers are working more closely together to navigate supply chain complexity while driving sustainable logistics at this year’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Mexico conference, which takes place in Mexico City on November 12-14
In Texas, JB Hunt will incorporate the Freightliner etruck into its own fleet to deliver service parts from DTNA’s PDC in Phoenix to surrounding dealers covering around 160km a day.
It is the first all-electric route in DTNA’s aftermarket parts distribution network, according to the truckmaker, and will significantly reduce carbon emissions. DTNA said the launch of the etruck set a precedent for future sustainable logistics operations. To support the move, DTNA installed a Detroit eFill charger at its Phoenix facility, the first charging station to be installed at a DTNA PDC.
“JB Hunt owns and operates several eCascadias on behalf of customers, and our drivers have really enjoyed their in-cab experience,” said Greer Woodruff, executive vice-president of safety, sustainability and maintenance at JB Hunt. “As customer interest continues to grow, we are here to enable their pursuit for a more sustainable supply chain in the most economic means possible.”
In August JB Hunt revealed it is working with technology provider Kodiak on the delivery of tyres from Bridgestone Americas using autonomous trucks between Georgia and Texas in the US.
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