The Mack® LR Electric model, Mack Trucks’ fully electric Class 8 vehicle, is now in serial production at Mack’s Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania. LVO is where Mack assembles and exports all Class 8 Mack vehicles for North America.
“Mack has long been a leader in the refuse segment, and we couldn’t be more pleased to now be producing Mack LR Electric vehicles to help our customers meet their sustainability goals,” says Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “Customer response to the LR Electric has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to putting more into fleet operations now that we are in production.”
Equipped with four Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide lithium-ion batteries, a 150kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system charges the LR Electric. The batteries provide vehicle propulsion and power for all onboard accessories driven through 12V, 24V, and 600V electric circuits. A three-mode regenerative braking system helps recapture the energy from stops the vehicle makes each day. This also helps with the vehicle’s increasing payload throughout the day.
Owners may fit the Mack LR Electric with equipment bodies from numerous manufacturers based on their needs. The LR Electric features the same ergonomics and visibility as the diesel-powered LR model. Additionally, Mack offers the same driver/passenger side driving configurations, seating choices, and door options in the LR Electric as on the diesel-powered Mack LR model. Finally, the hood of the truck features a copper-colored Bulldog hood ornament, signifying the fully electric drivetrain.
“We are successfully producing the LR Electric at LVO, and we are fulfilling customer orders as we speak,” says Gunnar Brunius, vice president and general manager at LVO. “I’d like to recognize the hard work and dedication of LVO employees who have been eagerly preparing for this moment.”
SERVICE AGREEMENT & TELEMATICS SYSTEM
The LR Electric comes standard with the Mack Ultra Service Agreement; the agreement offers customers a tailored uptime package designed specifically to meet the needs of BEV. The Ultra Service Agreement includes preventive as well as scheduled maintenance, towing and repair, a battery warranty, and monitoring via Mack connected services in a single package that can include monthly payments.
Supported by Mack GuardDog® Connect, Mack’s integrated telematics solution, the LR Electric and its batteries will be monitored for battery health and performance. Further, the system will detect fault codes when registered by the battery and electric components of the energy storage system.
Mack dealers TEC Equipment Fontana (California) and Northwest Equipment Sales (Boise, Idaho) first achieved Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer status. Numerous other dealerships are currently in the process of meeting the many stringent safety, charging, infrastructure, and training requirements. The certification also requires a facility update.
Mack announced plans to launch the LR Electric model in 2018. Mack delivered the first demonstration vehicle to the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) in September 2020. Since then, the vehicles have been in real-world testing in the demanding environment of the world’s largest sanitation department. Mack delivered the second LR Electric demonstration model in October 2020 to Republic Services in Hickory, North Carolina. Currently, Republic Services tests the demonstration model in a residential application.
DSNY recently announced its plan to purchase seven LR Electric models that will operate in the city’s five boroughs.
Find out more, visit www.macktrucks.com.
