The Mack LR Electric model, Mack Trucks’ first fully electric Class 8 vehicle, is now in serial production at Mack’s Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) facility in Macungie, Pa.
LVO is where all Class 8 Mack vehicles for North America and export are assembled.
“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 NMC (nickel manganese cobalt oxide) lithium-ion batteries, the LR Electric is charged by a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system. The batteries provide vehicle propulsion and power for all onboard accessories driven through 12 V, 24 V and 600 V electric circuits. A three-mode regenerative braking system helps recapture the energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day as a result of increasing payload throughout the day.
The Mack LR Electric may be fitted with equipment bodies from numerous manufacturers based on the unique needs of the customer. The LR Electric features the same ergonomics and visibility as the diesel-powered LR model. The same driver/passenger side driving configurations, as well as seating choices and door options, are offered in the LR Electric as on the diesel-powered Mack LR model.
“We are successfully producing the LR Electric at LVO, and we are fulfilling customer orders as we speak,” mentions 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.”
Mack recently announced that the LR Electric comes standard with the Mack Ultra Service Agreement, which includes preventative and 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, and fault codes will be detected when registered by the battery and electric components of the energy storage system.
TEC Equipment Fontana in California and Northwest Equipment Sales in Idaho were the first two Mack dealers to achieve certified electric vehicle dealer status.