As part of its sustainable distribution efforts, Fastenal says it is now running a battery-electric Freightliner eM2 straight truck to service branches in the Los Angeles metro area.
The venture stems from a collaboration between Penske Truck Leasing and Daimler Trucks North America to test commercial electric trucks in real-world situations and drive future improvements to the technology.
The eM2 began service in the Fastenal fleet in early January, making deliveries of wide-ranging products to 28 Fastenal branches and customer-specific Onsite locations – from Los Angeles to coastal Orange County to the Inland Empire.
“We’re excited to help move this technology forward,” says Dan Florness, president and CEO of Fastenal.
“It adds a new dimension to our own sustainability efforts, and we believe it can offer some insights to help bring electric trucks into wider commercial use,” he adds.
The eM2 is ideally suited for local transportation of goods, as well as for last-mile deliveries, providing a consistent flow of product from regional hubs to local markets and ultimately to customers’ points of use. The truck is part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet, a 30-vehicle test fleet of Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8 trucks being used to test the integration of battery-electric trucks in large commercial fleets.
“We’re committed to helping customers like Fastenal accelerate innovation within their truck fleet operations,” says Art Vallely, president of Penske Truck Leasing.
“Fastenal is an innovative industry leader, and they’re now using the latest, leading-edge electric vehicle technology available on the road today through Penske’s co-creation efforts with the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet,” he adds.
