A major Michigan grocery chain has added two battery-electric tractors to its fleet in a test of the vehicles in cold weather conditions.
Grand Rapids-based Meijer is testing two Freightliner eCascadias as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
One of two battery-electric eCascadias being tested by the Meijer grocery chain in cold weather conditionsMeijer
Meijer received the battery-electric trucks early last month and celebrated their inaugural delivery with a more than 44,000-pound food donation to the Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit alongside Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and representatives from Meijer and Daimler Truck North America.
Meijer became a test fleet for Freightliner in 2009 and was selected in 2019 to test the manufacturer's battery-electric trucks. After a successful conclusion of testing and integration of customer feedback in the design and development process, Freightliner is now rolling out the battery-electric truck to customers, including Meijer, which received the first delivery.
The retailer's trucks were partially funded by a grant to Daimler Truck North America from the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office geared toward the demonstration of battery-electric commercial trucks under diverse climate conditions. Meijer will continue reviewing data daily for temperature impact on mileage, charge times, battery life optimization and driver comfort.
Freightliner's new battery-electric eCascadia truck is the zero-emission version of the Cascadia and is ideally suited for short-haul routes that allow for depot-based charging, according to a statement from Meijer. They have a typical range of 230 miles and can recharge 80 percent of the truck in about 90 minutes.
