Autocar Launches Electric Terminal Tractor

Autocar introduced an emissions-free, all-electric version of its Autocar ACTT terminal tractor, the E-ACTT, which will be available later this year.

The E-ACTT terminal tractor is designed specifically for spotting trailers and containers at distribution centers, warehouse/trucking yards, industrial operations, intermodal/rail terminals, and port terminals.

The tractor’s electric powertrain was designed by Vorza to handle the rigorous demands of semi-trailer yard spotting and container handling, Autocar officials said in a press release.

The E-ACTT will help meet regulatory mandates for the vocational truck industry to reduce fuel consumption by 24% by model year 2027 and, in California, to transition diesel trucks to zero-emission trucks, Autocar officials said.

Autocar’s temperature-controlled lithium-ion battery technology and onboard charging system in the E-ACTT terminal tractor are designed to meet demanding duty cycles with minimal operational disruptions, similar operationally to their current diesel counterparts. With the Autocar E-ACTT, operators now have a much quieter and lower vibration zero-emissions option.

With advanced monitoring systems and telematics in every unit, the E-ACTT terminal tractor provides cost savings for both predictive and preventive maintenance, Autocar officials said.

“From our customer sight testing experiences, we expect the Autocar E-ACTT to have lower overall maintenance costs than its diesel counterpart,” explained Eric Schwartz, president of Autocar’s terminal tractor business in Hagerstown, Indiana. “Our EV technology eliminates the need for a lot of necessary preventive maintenance, such as oil changes, transmission service, fan belts, air filters, and other traditional fuel-based engine services. Plus, it eliminates the need and cost to completely replace the diesel engine at approximately 25,000 working hours. Fewer moving parts in a robust EV design means increased savings for owners and longer terminal tractor service lifecycles.”

Originally posted on Trucking Info