As other players in the electric commercial space push for ever-bigger batteries and faster charge timers, Freightliner is going the other way. It’s a bold move, and one that could pay off.
Freightliner parent company Daimler says customer input and data helped drive development of the new FCCC MT50e model unveiled at Work Truck Week. That data, combined with input from utility companies and charging manufacturers, led them to take what many might consider a step backwards. A step towards smaller battery packs with shorter range and the addition of slower, “Level 2” home charging.
“They wanted to show that the L2 charging options means its easier to charge these trucks at home,” explained Electrek’s own Jameson Dow, when I asked why Freightliner had sent me a picture of their new box truck blasting into a suburban home. “Which is a reasonably common…