Skip to main content

Daimler’s new E-Mobility Group rolls out two new fully electric trucks in U.S.

Asserting its claim of trucking leadership, Daimler Trucks introduced the E-Mobility Group (EMG), a new unit focusing on commercial vehicles with fully electric drivetrains. Daimler also announced two new electric-powered Freightliner models, one of which could be a competitor to the Tesla Semi.

Counting the two new Freightliners, Daimler’s EMG has six commercial electric vehicles in its lineup, more than any other manufacturing group. Daimler’s commercial e-fleet includes four trucks and two buses.

The new Freightliner eCascadia is a heavy-duty, long-haul electric truck. According to Daimler, the eCascadia’s 550 kWh batteries generate 730 horsepower and have a 250-mile range per charge. The company says the eCascadia batteries can be recharged to about 80 percent of capacity in 90 minutes, giving the freighter about 200 miles of range. The eCascadia is the truck that would go up against Tesla’s Semi, for which Tesla claims a 300-mile range for the base $150,000 version and 500 miles with the $180,000 extended range model.

Recommended Videos

The second new Daimler electric truck is the Freightliner eM2 106, a medium range truck for local distribution and last-mile deliveries. The electric version of the M2 cranks out 480 horsepower with its 325 kWh batteries and has a 230-mile full-charge range. An additional 184 miles of range is on tap after a 60-minute, 80-percent recharge.

Daimler announced it would deliver 30 of the new electric Freightliner models to North American customers by the end of this year.

The other electric commercial trucks in Daimler’s EMG fleet include the FUSCO eCanter urban route truck with a 62-mile range per charge and the larger 26-ton load capacity eTruck, which has a 125-mile range. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro city bus and Thomas Built Saf-T Liner C2 Jouley school bus complete EMG’s lineup.

Daimler expects increasing demand from its customers for electric trucks and buses. Just as the Daimler passenger car divisions are going full-forward with electric platforms, the EMG is determined to set the standard for commercial electric vehicles.

“We are the undisputed global leader of the trucking industry, and we intend to remain in that position with electric trucks,” said Martin Daum, member of the Daimler board of management for trucks and buses. “We were first-movers on electric trucks and strive to set the standard in each relevant segment in which we compete.

“With the formation of our new global E-Mobility Group, we will maximize the impact of our investments in this key strategic technology,” Daum continued. “Thus, we can pursue the best solutions in batteries, charging solutions, and energy management.”

Also this week, Daimler announced the formation of a new Automated Truck Research and Development Center in Portland, Oregon. This center will work with personnel at two other Daimler research and development centers in Stuttgart, Germany, and Bangalore, India. The three groups focus on developing technology that will enable trucks and buses to drive autonomously.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV front quarter view.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

Read more
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more