Another Step Toward Zero Emissions: A Medium-Duty Electric Mack Truck
Author: Carolyn Fortuna
Mack Trucks has announced its Mack MD Electric, the first electric Mack Truck in the medium-duty segment of the industry. The Mack MD Electric will be available in Class 6 and Class 7 ratings. The Class 6 model has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 25,995 pounds, and the Class 7 model has a GVWR of 33,000 pounds. Both models are exempt from the 12% Federal Excise Tax (FET). The Mack MD Electric will be produced at Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) in Roanoke Valley, Virginia, where Mack began production of the Mack MD Series in 2020. Zero emission trucks were hardly considered viable just a few years ago. Then again, with nearly 80% of all heavy duty trucks now traveling less than 100 miles each day, range is no longer the issue it once was. The continued reductions in the price of batteries have also influenced the growth in model availability. The benefits of electrifying heavy duty truck fleets are significant — recent studies have shown that operating costs for electric trucks can be between 14% and 52% lower and repair costs around 40% lower than their combustion-powered counterparts. The MD Electric’s 3-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor and all on-board accessories are powered by Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion batteries, either in a 150kWh or 240kWH configuration. The MD Electric can be charged through AC or DC charging units. The regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the multiple stops the vehicle makes each day.