Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Battery-Electric Freightliner Innovation Fleet Logs 300K Miles

Freightliner's Innovation Fleet, a 30-vehicle fleet of battery electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, has accumulated more than 300,000 miles in real-world use by customers.

July 31, 2020
Battery-Electric Freightliner Innovation Fleet Logs 300K Miles

The first Freightliner eCascadias delivered to NFI (left) and Penske (right).

Photo: Freightliner

2 min to read


Freightliner's Innovation Fleet has accumulated more than 300,000 miles in real-world use by customers. The Innovation Fleet is a 30-vehicle fleet of battery electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks testing integration of the technology into large-scale commercial transportation operations.

Ad Loading...

“Co-creation with our customers is a cornerstone of Freightliner’s unique approach to the market,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president, On-highway sales and marketing for DTNA. “The knowledge and expertise our logistics customers have in fleet operations with their thousands of trucks is invaluable as we design and engineer the zero emissions future of the commercial vehicle. Crossing the threshold of 300,000 miles of testing, then 1 million miles, then more - together - before we begin series production of battery electric trucks will ensure we deliver the performance and reliability our customers count on and which has made Freightliner the undisputed leader in commercial trucks.”

Ad Loading...

The Freightliner Innovation Fleet is supported by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) which focuses on improving air quality in the South Coast Basin of Southern California and partially funded the project. The fleet includes 10 eM2s and 20 eCascadias testing in a variety of applications, including drayage, regional and local delivery, food distribution, and parcel delivery.

The 300,000 local emissions-free miles logged by the fleet represent the equivalent mileage to complete:

  • 5,660 one-way trips between the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to the warehousing centers of California's Inland Empire.

  • 2,500 trips to complete the average local distribution run.

  • 41 trips to travel to all 10 DTNA parts distribution centers located in North America.

  • 12 trips to circle the globe.

The planned start of series production for the Freightliner eCascadia is mid-2022, and the planned start of series production for the Freightliner eM2 is late 2022.

More Sustainability

Blue Republic Services McNeilus Volterra ZSL electric refuse truck parked outside a facility, with Republic Services branding and “This truck runs on electricity” displayed on the body.
Sustainability•October 6, 2026

What Republic Services Learned Moving Electric Trucks Beyond the Pilot

With 250 electric refuse trucks now in service, Republic Services is learning that scaling a new powertrain depends as much on routes, drivers, technicians, and daily operations as it does on the truck itself.

Read More →
City Harvest Volvo VNR Electric refrigerated box truck featuring green “Fully Charged to Feed NYC” graphics and messaging highlighting 100% electric, zero-emissions operation.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•September 29, 2026

City Harvest Begins Using Volvo VNR Electric Trucks to Rescue Food Across New York City

Volvo Trucks North America and the Bronx Is Breathing project team handed over three new Volvo VNR Electric trucks to City Harvest, which will use the trucks to rescue and deliver food throughout the Bronx and across all five boroughs of New York.

Read More →
Three Volvo executives pose with a 2027 International Truck of the Year trophy in front of a teal Volvo FH truck, with two giving thumbs-up gestures.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•September 22, 2026

Volvo Trucks Wins International Truck of the Year 2027 for its Global Electric Range

Volvo Trucks' global heavy-duty electric range has been named International Truck of the Year 2027. Since 2019, more than 7,000 electric Volvo trucks have driven more than 310 million miles worldwide.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
FFC one day pass announce
Sustainability•by Staff•September 15, 2026

Fleet Forward Conference Introduces One-Day Passes for 2026

New one-day registration gives fleet professionals the flexibility to attend Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, with passes available for $199 through Sept. 18.

Read More →
Catalyst Mobility logo displayed over an image of an electric commercial truck connected to a charging station inside a facility.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•September 14, 2026

CALSTART Rebrands as Catalyst Mobility, Will Combine with Forth in 2027

CALSTART has rebranded as Catalyst Mobility and will combine with Forth at the start of 2027. The new organization said it is poised to become one of the world's largest, strongest, and most impactful clean transportation nonprofits.

Read More →
Aerial view of a New York-New Jersey port terminal with shipping containers and cranes, overlaid with CALSTART and Port Authority of NY & NJ logos.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•September 9, 2026

Electric Truck and Charging Programs to Boost Sustainability at NY & NJ Ports

Together, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and CALSTART will electrify drayage and terminal operations serving the East Coast’s busiest container port. A pair of incentive programs totaling $45 million has launched to accelerate adoption of zero-emission drayage trucks and terminal tractors.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Conceptual map showing multiple energy paths, including electric, gasoline, propane, and other fuels, converging at the same operational goal.
Sustainability•by Lauren Fletcher•September 3, 2026

The Smart Way to Build a Mixed-Energy Fleet Isn’t About Picking a Side

Mixed-energy fleets aren’t about picking a winning fuel. Sarah Booth of WEX explains how vehicle data, duty cycles, charging strategy, and real-world costs can help fleets choose the right energy source for each job.

Read More →
White dual-axle enclosed equipment trailer with side access doors and a spare tire, parked in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•September 2, 2026

Xos Hub Surpasses One Gigawatt-Hour of Energy Delivered in the Field

A single Xos Hub has surpassed one gigawatt-hour of energy across more than 33,600 charging sessions in the field, demonstrating performance that supports Xos' expansion across new products and markets.

Read More →
Carrier Transicold Vector 8200 refrigeration unit mounted on a refrigerated trailer outside a distribution facility with loading docks and additional refrigerated trucks.
Sustainability•September 1, 2026

Carrier Transicold Launches All-Electric Vector 8200 TRU for Diesel-Free On-Site Cold Storage

Carrier Transicold’s first engineless multi-temperature TRU helps fresh- and frozen-food fleets add supplemental cold storage capacity during seasonal peaks.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Three compact white utility trucks parked in a row on a paved lot, surrounded by trees, with large windshields, enclosed cabs, and amber warning lights.
Sustainability•by News/Media Release•August 21, 2026

Narro Trucks Introduces Electric Utility Vehicle

Narro Trucks officially launched its operations on Aug. 20 and hosted a ride and drive to showcase its electric truck, which will be produced in Virginia.

Read More →