Schneider National Running eCascadia Trucks (vehicle, hybrid vehicle, fuel, credit)

[OutdoorLover]

Logistics company Schneider National has a growing fleet of e-semi trucks. They are up to 92 eCascadia model trucks from Freightliner, that have cumulatively run over 1M miles so far. These eCascadia trucks are rated up to 230 miles. This is well short of the 500 miles that Tesla rates its semi trucks at, but what's sufficient for range just depends on the use case. So far, I think Freightliner is producing and selling more eCascadias, as numerous companies have been reported purchasing them - in addition to Schneider National, for example, Sysco has placed an order for 800 eCascadia trucks.
https://interestingengineering.com/s...1million-miles
https://www.freightliner.com/trucks/ecascadia/

These Freightliner trucks are made by Daimler, who is also introducing a smaller model, the eM2, which has a similar range.
https://electrek.co/2023/10/26/us-da...ric-box-truck/
https://www.freightliner.com/trucks/em2/

[OutdoorLover]

Freightliner eCascadia ad from 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLFqQ1SAkSU

[RetireinPA]

ok ya, but they are just using them for drayage in intermodal yards. If I had to guess, they only bought them for the enhanced accelerated tax credit...free equipment - talks. you can see them yourself in so cal. I would expect to see them in chambersburg soon as there is a large nationa depot just up 81 from chambersburg (the yard)



you need over 1000 mile range and FULL (not half, not 3/4, not 80%) charging in <6 hours, prolly under 4 to be competitive in single driver. tandem drivers? they have to fuel along side diesels.


however, if they ever do someday go otr, is fueling service hours or not? diesel? it is...


none of this is anti-et. Its just how the industry works and why natural gas is not OTR either

[rabbit33]

Well, here we go again.

One side say "because EVs are working in this particular application, surely it'll just be a matter of weeks till they've taken over everything!"

and the other side counters with "because you can't drive the thing across country in 42 hours plus three hours allowed to refuel, it's useless".

Horses for courses, people.

Why is it so difficult to accept that EVs are a TOOL, that can be extremely useful for many applications (moving stuff in yards, city delivery trucks, or for pass-cars, people with predictable comutes of modest length who have access to a gas or hybrid vehicle for other types of trips) - and that won't work for other applications (cross-country high speed travel, operation in remote areas without access to charging)?

This is already the case for big trucks, anyway. You don't use a tractor with the full sleeper accommodations, long haul options, and double trailers, for moving trailers in a yard or for city deliveries. Nor do you try to take a smallish box truck to carry a load of sides of beef from Seattle to New York City. You don't use a food grade tank trailer to carry coal. You don't put a load of tree trunks from the Maine woods into a refrigerated trailer. And so on.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by rabbit33

and the other side counters with "because you can't drive the thing across country in 42 hours plus three hours allowed to refuel, it's useless".

yup. read my post. at current state- no pun - these will NEVER be used OTR, which is where the most MILES and hence money is.


and they are being used properly for intermodal drayage, but if you read schneider press releases....they are virtually free. TRUCKS have had worse covid sanity on the pricing (or other effects on the pricing) than cars. In some cases 3:1


the fleet my bro now manages just ditched ALL of its trucks for penske leases - the numbers are just too good and its someone elses problem. no truck will ever be > 2 years old.


and yes, under current law - again no pun - fueling is in service hours and that hits your driver bottom line, given the e-log requirement and enforcement.