Mack Introduces Electric Medium-Duty Commercial Truck

Fleet vehicles that operate from a central depot where they can be recharged make ideal candidates for electrification, so it is significant that probably the most famous name in work trucks, Mack Trucks, has introduced its first electric medium-duty truck.

The Mack MD Electric joins the company’s LR Electric, which has been in production for more than a year already. Like the company’s diesel equivalent model, the Mack MD Electric will be available in Class 6 and Class 7 ratings, with Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR) of 25,995 lbs. and 33,000 lbs., respectively.

Both models will be built at Mack’s Roanoke Valley Operations in Virginia, alongside the diesel Mack MD Series. A significant difference between the two versions is that the Class 6 truck does not require a driver to have a commercial driver’s license when hauling non-hazardous loads.

The MD Electric employs a 260-horsepower, 1,850-lb.-ft. three-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor powered by either a 150-kilowatt-hour or 240-kWH Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion battery pack. The larger pack delivers an estimated range of 230 miles.

Significantly, all onboard accessories draw power from this large traction battery, so there’s plenty of power for lighting, HVAC, and other amenities. The truck supports both AC Level 2 charging and DC fast charging, but a battery this large would make Level 2 charging impractically slow.

The truck is available in 4x2 configurations featuring a sharp wheel cut to enhance maneuverability in tight urban settings. Mack says the MD Electric will meet the needs of trucking applications requiring dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed and dump vocations.

“The Mack MD Electric joins the full lineup of Class 6 to 8 vehicles Mack offers to help customers meet their application needs,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Building on the success of the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, the Mack MD Electric will help our customers meet their sustainability goals without sacrificing the durability, reliability, and total cost of ownership for which Mack is known.”