MACK TRUCKS BATTERY-ELECTRIC TRUCK FOR THE MEDIUM-DUTY SEGMENT

Mack Trucks has revealed its first battery-electric vehicle in the medium-duty truck segment. The MD Electric complements the diesel-powered MD, which launched in 2020.

The MD Electric is Mack’s second electric vehicle. The first was the Mack LR Electric, which went into production in December 2021 for refuse operations.

“Refuse was a great place for us to start with electric. This one was a natural progression, because the medium-duty trucks are lighter Class 6 and Class 7, so you are not dealing with as much weight,” said Tim Wrinkle, Mack senior product manager. “A lot of times, they’re out during the day and then home at night, where they’re able to recharge.”

The Class 6 MD Electric model has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 25,995 pounds, and the Class 7 model has a GVWR of 33,000 pounds.

The MD Electric’s threephase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor and all on-board accessories are powered by Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide lithium-ion batteries, either in a 150 kWh or 240 kWH configuration. The MD Electric can be charged through AC or DC units. A regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the multiple stops the vehicle makes each day.

Wrinkle said the larger battery pack should be able to travel 230 miles per day, well within what most medium-duty trucks do in a typical day. Regenerative braking will help extend the range as needed, and a charge on a standard 240-volt charger will take around six to eight hours.

Developed specifically for medium-duty applications, the Mack MD Electric is available in 4x2 configurations with a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability in tight urban settings.

The MD Series cab design features a short bumper-toback-of-cab measurement of 103 inches. Like the diesel-powered MD Series, Mack matched the styling of the Anthem highway truck as a basis for the MD Electric grille and hood design.

Wrinkle said the MD Electric will, like its diesel-powered relative, be targeted toward van and reefer operations as the first users, noting that a dry van box fits well onto the truck with its battery packs.

“We have also talked about a stake or flatbed truck as a good place to start. We do have an ePTO (electric power take-off) that we can add, so there are some vocational applications we get into . . . some things are packaged on the outside of the frame, so you must make sure your application will work with that packaging,” Wrinkle said.

Adding a zero-tailpipe-emissions battery-electric vehicle to the Mack medium-duty line supports the company’s long-term sustainability goals.

The MD Electric should be a good stepping stone for developing and marketing Class 8 vocational trucks in the future, Wrinkle said.