The first batch of Daimler Truck’s all-electric Rizon trucks are now on the streets of America following deliveries to customers in California. More units are scheduled to be handed over throughout March of 2024.

Daimler said the initial deployment of Rizon trucks included a diverse range of customers embracing sustainable transportation solutions. California companies now using Rizon trucks include:

• LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN) — As the lead agency for the city’s environmental programs and initiatives, LASAN is deploying seven e18L Rizon trucks with stake bed bodies to facilitate the delivery of home trash bins to Los Angeles residents.

• Goodwill Industries of San Diego County — Supporting its Southern California donation centers and thrift stores, Goodwill is integrating an e18L Rizon dry van box truck into its fleet to bolster logistics efficiency.

• Diamond Environmental — Southern California-based equipment rental and onsite services company, Diamond Environmental, is deploying four e18L Rizon trucks to deliver and service portable restrooms, enhancing efficiency, and reducing emissions in the communities it serves.

• Ecorecycling — To transport thousands of pounds of clothing and book donations from the local community to its sorting warehouse, Ecorecycling is deploying three e18L Rizon dry van trucks into its Northern California routes.

• Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing — To provide California businesses with accessible zero-emission commercial vehicle solutions, Velocity has five e18L Rizon box trucks available for immediate rental or lease.

“Being part of the Daimler Truck Group provides us with experience and knowledge coming from our electric products of trucks and buses around the globe,” said Andreas Deuschle, global head of Rizon Truck. “Our all-new Rizon trucks inherited all of this expertise which results in a very mature system: innovative eAxle concept, latest safety features, a wide variety of body applications, and a flexible battery concept.”

Rizon Trucks Provide Quick Opportunity for Compliance

California established a goal of achieving zero-emission fleets operating in-state by 2035, 2040, or 2045, depending on the truck type and size under the Advanced Clean Fleets rule (ACF).

Currently, according to Daimler, Rizon trucks are one of the fastest ways for businesses to comply with ACF.

Vehicles in stock can be delivered to dealers depending on their availability. The lead time on production orders will vary on body applications due to the body build production queue, the company said.

$60K Baseline Incentives Available through CARB HVIP

Customers can take advantage of a $60,000 baseline incentive per vehicle through the California Air Resource Board’s (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).  Using HVIP’s Innovative Small Fleet program, some fleets are eligible for an additional $60,000, which Daimler said makes a Rizon chassis more affordable than a comparable diesel chassis.

Providing EVs for Urban and Last-mile Delivery

Rizon trucks are suited to urban and last-mile deliveries and routes of up to 160 miles per day. Daimler said the trucks support a versatile mix of configurations suitable to each customer’s unique requirements including box trucks, flatbeds, stake beds, reefers, and other body types.

They feature an electric power take-off (ePTO) that is controllable from the cab and allows for specialized equipment such as reefer belt drives and hydraulic pumps.

A Certified Zero-emission Solution

Rizon has received both Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification and dual CARB Executive Orders and is in full compliance with the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Rizon trucks are currently available from California Trucks Centers and Velocity Truck Centers, which are both HVIP-approved dealerships.

More to Know About Rizon Trucks

Rizon is Daimler Truck’s ninth, and newest, brand and represents its dedication to zero-emission transportation. The brand and its trucks were announced to the public for the first time during the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in May of 2023, in Anaheim, California.

The Class 4 and 5 medium-duty battery-electric vehicles, ranging from 15,995 up to 17,995 pounds in gross vehicle weight (GVW), can run from 75 -110 miles (for M size variant with two battery packs) to 110 -160 miles (L size variant with three battery packs) on a single charge, according to Daimler.

Rizon trucks are capable of being charged by two types of battery charging systems: DC Fast Charging (via CCS1 connector), and less expensive Level 2 AC Charging (via J1772 connector).  Daimler said this flexibility means customers can expect to charge their truck today while being ready for DC Fast chargers in the future.