The North American subsidiary of German commercial vehicle giant Daimler Truck has begun series production of the Freightliner eM2, a battery electric medium-duty truck designed for pick-up and delivery applications.
Built on the well-established Freightliner M2 106 Plus platform, the eM2 is the tenth battery electric vehicle in series production by Daimler Truck worldwide.
Two battery capacity options will be available, including a class 6 single-motor model that delivers up to 190 continuous horsepower from a 194kWh battery, boasting a typical range of 290km on a single charge.
A class 7 dual-motor variant will offer up to 255 continuous horsepower from a 291kWh battery, with a typical range of 400 kilometres on a single charge.
The Freightliner eM2 incorporates a range of safety systems including active brake assist, tailgate warning, adaptive cruise control down to 0km/h, lane departure warning, intelligent high-beams, and Side Guard Assist.
The eM2 will also come with Detroit Connect, Daimler Truck’s proprietary connected vehicle solution previously only available on the Cascadia. Detroit Connect will provide real-time monitoring of battery health, charging status, and energy usage, and enables efficient route planning, energy optimisation, and post-trip data analysis.
battery electric Freightliner eM2 charging
“The start of production for this versatile truck marks another important milestone on our journey to a zero-emissions product line,” said Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at Daimler Truck North America.
“The feedback we’ve received reinforces our confidence that the Freightliner eM2 will meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. Our partners and dealers are looking forward to introducing the Freightliner eM2 to their customers, and we are excited to see it in use by customers and fleets.”
Series production of the Freightliner eM2 is now underway at Daimler Truck North America’s manufacturing plant in Portland, Oregon, and the first production units have already been destined for several existing partners.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.