A busy week for Mack Trucks on the EV front

Mack Trucks has had a busy week when it comes to electric vehicle (EV) announcements.

The Greensboro, North Carolina, company says it has added two more Certified Electric Dealers and also that Casella chose the Mack LR Electric collection truck as the first in its fleet.

The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, also has ordered two Class 8 Mack LR Electric trucks.

“The city of Cambridge chose Mack to help it achieve its sustainability goals, and we couldn’t be prouder to help them with their achievements through the deployment of the Mack LR Electric,” Mack Trucks North America President Jonathan Randall says. “City executives did their research to ensure that they ordered an electric refuse vehicle that met their needs as well as their delivery target, and Mack is looking forward to working with them as they begin their journey to electrification.”

The Mack LR Electric trucks will operate in a residential area of the city and be equipped with rear-loader bodies. Cambridge, with a population of about 117,000, has 18 refuse vehicles in its fleet, which services 6.3 square miles of a densely populated area.

Four nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) lithium-ion batteries, charged through a 150 kilowatt (kW), SAE J1772-compliant charging system, power the truck and all onboard accessories through 12-, 24- and 600-volt circuits. The two-stage regenerative braking system recaptures energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.

Featuring a copper-colored bulldog on the cab to signify the all-electric powertrain, the LR Electric offers the same driver- and passenger-side configurations, as well as seat and door options, as those available on the diesel-powered Mack LR model. The LR Electric can be fitted with bodies from various manufacturers to meet each customer’s unique set of needs.

To simplify the purchase process and help customers better manage expenses associated with acquiring the Mack LR Electric model, Mack recently launched its all-inclusive Vehicle-as-a-Service (VaaS) program. VaaS includes the vehicle chassis, the refuse body, applicable taxes and a comprehensive vehicle protection plan, the Mack Ultra Service Agreement, for the Mack LR Electric model.

Ballard Mack in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, will provide service and support for the city of Cambridge.

Elsewhere, Mack Trucks continues to expand its network of shops certified to service its EVs.

 Vision Truck Group, based in Brampton, Ontario, and Surgenor Truck Group locations in Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario, have joined the growing list of locations that service Mack Trucks’ EVs.

“Surgenor is ready and pleased to be part of the evolution of transportation toward electrification,” says Mike Gallant, general manager of Surgenor’s Kingston location. “Many of our customers have made inquiries into electric vehicles and the LR Electric in particular, and we are excited to be leading this movement along with Mack Trucks.”

The Surgenor Truck Group's Kingston store has 10 technicians, two of whom are master techs and two of whom are certified EV technicians. Surgenor’s Ottawa site employs 16 technicians, including five master technicians and two certified EV techs. Both locations have one service bay dedicated to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Surgenor installed Heliox direct current 50 kW fast chargers at both sites.

A 50-year veteran of the industry, Vision Truck Group began the certification process of their Brampton location in early 2022 after having opened that location in 2019. The facility has 30 technicians, 14 of whom are master techs and two of whom are certified EV technicians. Of their 34 service bays, two are dedicated to BEVs with the ability to expand when the need arises. During the certification process, a 50 kw Heliox portable fast charger was installed.      

“As a company, Vision Truck Group is dedicated to sustainability. The Brampton facility was designed to be safe, ergonomic and efficient. We are a paperless operation, and our entire building is designed to minimize its impact on the environment,” says Travis Brown, Vision Truck Group vice president of product support. “We are more than excited to extend that philosophy to our customers who want a Mack LR electric and look forward to helping them with the sales and service.”