Sysco Intends To Buy Up To 800 Freightliner eCascadia

Sysco Corporation, a foodservice distribution company, announced its intention to purchase up to nearly 800 all-electric Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 tractors.

According to the Letter of Intent (LOI), the fleet would be deployed gradually between 2022 and 2026, with the first eCascadia delivery expected to arrive at Sysco’s Riverside, California site later this year.

It is potentially the largest order for the recently unveiled production version of the Freightliner eCascadia, which is promised to enter series production within several months.

In the case of Sysco, the vehicles will be combined with refrigerated trailers, but the press release does not clarify whether the trailer will be powered from the main battery to fully utilize the EV potential.

In the long-term, Sysco intends to electrify 35% of its fleet by 2030. The site at Riverside, California already is in a process of expansion of charging infrastructure and additional solar capacity installations.

The Daimler Truck North America (DTNA)’s Freightliner eCascadia is another heavyweight contender in the electric truck segment in North America, which will compete with Class 8 EVs from companies like BYD, Volvo, Nikola, Tesla (in the not too distant future), to name a few.

The Freightliner eCascadia is available in several powertrain and battery configurations. The top version, equipped with a 438 kWh battery (usable capacity) is expected to go up to 230 miles (370 km).

The electric drive units are supplied by Detroit ePowertrain (Detroit is a brand of Detroit Diesel Corporation, a subsidiary of DTNA).

Freightliner eCascadia (Class 8 tractor) specs:

• up to 230 miles (370 km) of range
  Tandem drive and 438 kWh battery: typically 220 miles (354 km)
  Single drive and 438 kWh battery: typically 230 miles (370 km)
  Single drive and 291 kWh battery: typically 155 miles (249 km)
• up to 438 kWh of usable battery capacity
  195 kWh, 291 kWh or 438 kWh options
• system output:
  Single eAxle: 320 HP (240 kW) or 395 HP (296 kW)
  Tandem eAxle: 425 HP (317 kW) or 470 HP (350 kW)
• DC fast charging: up to 80% SOC in about 90 minutes
  up to 180 kW with single port charging / up to 270 kW, with dual port charging
• Class 8
• Cab/Sleeper Configurations: Day Cab 116″ BBC
• designed for local and regional distribution and drayage
• Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCW):
  Tandem drive: 82,000 lbs. (37,195 kg)
  Single drive: 65,000 lbs. (29,484 kg)