Electric trucks have the power to revolutionize the shipping industry and drastically cut emissions, but designing a truck that can travel long distances and transport large amounts of goods on electric power is no easy feat. Fortunately, vehicle company Daimler Trucks has announced they are ready to begin taking orders for their all-electric freight trucks. 

Called the eM2 box truck and eCascadia freight tractor, the two models are scheduled for production beginning in 2022 and hope to cut emissions from the long-distance trucking industry. According to Daimler, the trucks have a range of 250 miles, and the corresponding charging station design, which would be available for installation in depots, can charge the eCascadia to 80 percent in 90 minutes and the eM2 to 80 percent in 60 minutes. 

The company’s vision is that these trucks will initially be used for transportation of goods between regional distribution centers and consumer sales stores. Once the company has expanded its rapid charging station infrastructure, it believes the trucks could replace combustion engine models entirely. 

To test their design, Daimler has been operating 38 trucks in a pilot fleet that has traveled thousands of miles around the US. 

Image source: Daimler