Meijer plans to test its all electric semi-truck in one of the harshest climates in North America. The company wants to study the impact of cold weather on the trucks’ performance.
The cold winter of Michigan and its surrounding areas will be the testing ground of Meijer’s new fleet of all-electric semi-trucks. The retail company noticed that the range and battery capacity figures given by EV truckmakers are always recorded in warm, pleasant climates like California, something that is not compatible with Meijer’s area of operations. The company will thoroughly analyze the truck’s range, battery capacity, and charging time when operating in cold weather.
Meijer will ride the wave of electrification following some help from the Department of Energy. Currently, the company owns nearly 500 grocery stores scattered all over the Midwest. To supply its network, the retailer runs the largest semi-fleet in Michigan. This fleet will receive the first All-electric Freightliner eCascadia this winter. To accommodate this new addition, Meijer has upgraded its Lansing distribution center, installing new charging infrastructure that allows its electric trucks to make multiple trips each day.
But before the company proceeds with further electrification, Mejier wants to make sure that the shift is economically viable. That is why the two vehicles will be thoroughly tested this winter, especially when it comes to the low-temperature impact on mileage, charge times, battery life optimization, and driver comfort.
The official figures of the eCascadia trucks show a range of 230 miles and a 440 kWh maximum battery capacity, the truck also has the capacity to regain 80 percent of its range in 90 minutes. Now the only remaining thing is to see how cold temperatures impact these numbers.
Range and battery are not the only features of the eCascadia trucks, the 82,000-pound semis also come with some driver assistance technology; Detroit Assurance with Active Brake Assist 5 will help drivers monitor the road ahead using always-on, fused radar and camera technology.
Meijer is clearly well aware of the impact that weather conditions can have on vehicles, this level of awareness should be shared by all car owners. With a varied selection of custom car covers available, you can cover your vehicle against all sorts of aggressive weather conditions. With Coverking custom car covers neither cold nor heat will be a problem anymore. Coverking car covers are made to suit vehicles of all makes, models, and years. With different options in material and design, Coverking offers an impressive array of custom covers that can protect your ride from sun damage, scratches, dents, dings, and dents.
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