Mack Trucks has confirmed that PITT OHIO, a transportation, warehouse, and supply chain services provider based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has operations in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, has placed an order for four Mack MD Electric tractors. Each unit will be assigned deliveries in the Harrisburg and Pittsburgh regions.
Once the new tractors are delivered to its fleet, PITT Ohio will have 10 BEVs in operation. Presently, the company's fleet consists of 930 diesel-powered Class 8 tractors, most of which are Mack, and 475 Class 7 straight trucks.
The company says its Harrisburg terminal is currently being upgraded to include the necessary power infrastructure to support a partial site fleet electrification. It's due to be ready in Q1 of 2025. Grants through the state of Pennsylvania were also acquired as part of the company's MD HD ZEV Fleet Demonstration Project for all of the vehicles.
[Related: PITT OHIO taking its zero-emission efforts to the grid]
“We have a long-standing partnership with Mack on the conventional vehicle side,” said Taki Darakos, PITT OHIO vice president, vehicle maintenance and fleet services. “Our early steps in electrification came out of our relationship with Mack. We believe the Mack MD Electric vehicles will provide the best range and payload from a value standpoint. We are excited that the current capabilities should be able to mimic 85% of our conventional box truck fleet in terms of range and payload.”
The Mack MD Electric was developed specifically for medium-duty applications. It's available in 4x2 configurations and boasts a sharp wheel cut for improved maneuverability in tight urban settings. It can also be configured as a Class 6 or 7 vehicle. The former has a GVWR of 29,995 lbs. while the Class 7 has a GVWR of 33,000 lbs. In addition, both are exempted from the 12% Federal Excise Tax (FET).
It also boasts a three-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor with 260 horsepower that's powered by Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion batteries, rated at 240kWh.
“Mack Trucks is proud to support PITT OHIO in its emissions reduction efforts,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “We look forward to continuing to work with PITT OHIO and our other battery-electric vehicle (BEV) customers as they navigate the sustainability journey by offering a total ecosystem of support.”
