Mack Trucks dealer TransEdge Truck Centers recently became a certified electric vehicle (EV) dealer at its Pittsburgh location. TransEdge will now be able to service and support the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle and is the first Mack dealer in the Northeastern U.S. to achieve EV certification status.
Volvo Trucks North America says TransEdge also recently became its first certified EV dealer in Pennsylvania after TransEdge’s Pittsburgh location completed the staff training program and necessary facility upgrades.
At the Pittsburgh location, three team members have been trained to service and maintain the Volvo VNR Electric, including one service manager and two technicians. The dealership converted one service bay to be dedicated to battery-electric trucks, and technicians have been outfitted with personal protective equipment for working with high-voltage systems. The remodeled facility includes upgraded electrical service and charging infrastructure that can handle a 25kw and 50kw charger.
“Mack is very pleased that our dealer partner, TransEdge Truck Centers, made the investment to become a certified electric vehicle dealer and support our customers who are adding zero-emissions vehicles to their fleets,” says Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks’ senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “TransEdge’s commitment to supporting Mack customers, whether those with EVs or those with diesel-powered vehicles, is a good example of the industry’s movement toward electrification.”
Mack EV certification requires dealers to meet numerous and stringent safety, infrastructure, charging, tooling and training requirements. Updates to each location are also necessary, but Mack executives work hand-in-hand with dealer leadership to ensure a smooth transition. Mack met frequently with TransEdge to ensure they met all standards before certification was granted.
“We’ve had a great deal of customer interest in electric vehicles, and we wanted to make sure that we were ready to support those that decided to purchase a Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle,” states Jim Gallagher, TransEdge’s vice president of service. “Trucks are headed in the direction that the automotive manufacturers have been leading, and it was important to TransEdge to be one of the first Mack dealers to be EV-certified.”
The next generation Mack LR Electric offers 42% more energy and a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity for increased range between charges. Twin electric motors with 448 continuous horsepower and a 4,051 lb.-ft. of peak torque output from zero RPM power the vehicle.
Four NMC (nickel manganese cobalt oxide) lithium-ion batteries, charged through a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system, propels the vehicle and provides power for all onboard accessories through 12V, 24V and 600V circuits. The two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.