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Oh brother, break out the popcorn. Tesla is finally gearing up for full production of its much-hyped and long-delayed Class 8 Semi electric truck this year, only to run up against a bulldog of a competitor. The legacy truck maker Mack Truck has just announced plans to produce an all-electric version of its newly launched Pioneer Class 8 diesel truck. Who let the dogs out…
Since When Does Mack Truck Make Electric Trucks?
Mack Truck dipped a toe in the electric truck waters all the way back in 2020, when it delivered the first iteration of its LR electric garbage truck. The company also surfaced on the CleanTechnica EV radar in 2022, when the LR went into full production at its existing truck factory in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania factory.
In 2023 the company expanded its electric options, announcing the start of production of medium-duty, class 6 and 7 trucks at its Roanoke Valley, Virginia facility. The step-down in class size is of interest competitively because Mack is far from the only truck maker to focus its electrification efforts on lighter, smaller vehicle classes.
Electric vans have been one area of focus, as exemplified by Rivian and Ford, among others. Meanwhile, Tesla has been singularly committed to Class 8 ever since CEO Elon Musk first unveiled the Semi project in 2017, only to see full production delayed until the end of this year. Tesla’s only other “truck” offering is the ill-fated Cybertruck, which some fans continue to insist is a pickup truck, while critics contest that it is not a truck in the working sense of the word.
Mack’s New Electric Truck Centers On Human Beings
Mack launched its new line of Pioneer diesel trucks on April 8 and followed up just a few weeks later, on April 29, to announce that an all-electric version with be forthcoming.
Mack emphasized that the electric version will be “based off the diesel-powered Mack Pioneer.” If all goes according to plan, that means the electric Pioneer will focus like a laser on driver comfort. The comfort angle is particularly important as older truckers age out and shippers scramble after a shrinking pool of qualified drivers who are willing to drive all day for a living and all night, too, as the case may be.
In the April 8 diesel announcement, Mack president Stephen Roy also emphasized the human factor. “The Pioneer’s comfort features reflect our deep understanding of drivers’ needs and our commitment to their well-being,” he explained, noting that drivers spend an average of 150 hours per month in their trucks.
No, Really, This Electric Truck Will Be Built For Humans
The diesel version of the Pioneer has been in the works since 2017, and Mack drew on feedback from both dealers and drivers to develop the interior. The feedback phase included a third party driver clinic at Virginia Tech, enabling 40 drivers to chip in their two cents regarding the ergonomics of the cab, among other elements.
“Professional drivers inspired every aspect of the Pioneer’s interior design,” elaborated Mack specialist Vince Lokers, specialist chief designer at Mack Trucks, in the April 8 announcement. “We reached out to our dealer network to understand pain points and day-to-day nuances, which helped us develop unique features that make a real difference in driver comfort and productivity.”
Among the upgrades is a new up-sized seating system, exclusive to Mack. “A major innovation is the inclusion of armrests on both sides of the seat – a first for Mack – ensuring drivers’ arms travel with them on the suspension rather than resting on the fixed door panel,” Mack adds. Seat-embedded massage, heating, and cooling systems are also on the comfort list along with a new set of options for suspension.
Mack’s VP of highway trucks, Fernando Couceiro, emphasizes that the Pioneer Electric will recreate the comfort features of the diesel version. “We built this truck from the ground up, creating a solid structure, off of which the Pioneer BEV will be built,” he stated.
What About The Battery?
Mack is pitching the new Pioneer Electric with a day cab for day-length drives or a 44″ sleeper. No word yet on whether or not the cab options will expand to the full 76″ sleeper on tap for the diesel Pioneer, but Mack anticipates that the 44″ is big enough to attract drivers and fleet owners in the regional haul and drayage categories as well as hub-and-spoke networks.
The choice of cab and market signals that Mack is aiming to pluck the low hanging fruit of shorter-haul shipping before venturing into the more long-haul freight area, which has been more resistant to electrification.
The focus on shorter hauls also reflects battery range. As part of the Volvo Group, it’s no surprise to see Mack tap Volvo’s new Proterra branch to supply its H2-23 batteries to the electrification effort.
“The Proterra H2-23 battery has been rigorously tested in-house to ensure the batteries can withstand the most demanding of environments, along with ensuring that the batteries charge quickly,” Mack emphasizes. “The compact battery pack is designed with advanced active and passive safety features to mitigate risks and ensure optimal on-road performance.”
Proterra has had its ups and downs (and downs) as a standalone company, but Volvo breathed new life into the startup’s battery operations last year, when it finalized the acquisition of Proterra’s battery factory in South Carolina and its R&D center in California.
“These assets and the skills and competence of the Proterra team are a great complement to our current footprint and enables us to accelerate our battery-electric roadmap even further,” explained Volvo Group CTO Lars Stenqvist in a press statement.
Volvo did not let the EV battery grass grow under its feet. Just a few days before Mack unveiled plans for the Pioneer Electric, Proterra announced the launch of the H2-23 battery pack, aimed at its new Onyx Strata series. “Engineered for Class 8 trucks and other demanding commercial applications, the new form factor expands Proterra’s reliable battery technology portfolio, setting performance benchmarks in heavy-duty transportation electrification,” Proterra enthused.
“The H2-23 battery pack is Proterra’s most energy-dense battery pack with a gravimetric density of 176 Wh/kg and volumetric density of 270 Wh/L, enabling a 750kWh energy system for Class 8 applications and up to 2MWh of total system energy,” Proterra added.
A Ripple In The Trump-Musk Continuum
In contrast to the reputational crisis brewing over at Tesla, Mack can coast on the professionalism and relative anonymity of its C-suite, and let the Pioneer do the talking.
Although Mack has not released a production timeline, the company states that the new electric truck will be available “soon.” On April 29 the company also noted that the Class 8 Pioneer is just for starters. “The Mack Pioneer will be the first delivery of a completely in-house electric platform utilizing Mack’s proprietary e-axle and Proterra batteries,” Mack stated.
Notably, all this electrification activity on the part of Mack is taking place in an increasingly hostile environment for electric vehicles and renewable energy, fostered by President Trump with the gleeful assistance of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. For example, among the latest victims of Musk’s ongoing federal workforce bloodbath is the Congressionally authorized agency responsible for helping with the rollout of a federally funded public EV charging station network.
Shocker, right? Or not, as the case may be. Right around this time last year, Musk summarily axed the whole 500-strong Supercharger team at Tesla. Auto industry observers were mystified by the abrupt decision, but there really was no mystery. The layoffs followed mass cuts engineered by Musk after buying Twitter. Together, the two episodes were simply warmup exercises for his role as head of Trump’s “DOGE” hit squad.
The Trump-Musk continuum or not, automotive stakeholders like Mack will be around long after Trump leaves office — peacefully and for the last time — in January of 2028, and the smart money is betting on electric vehicles.
Hold on to your hats…
Photo (cropped): Mack Truck is going up against the Tesla Semi with plans for a new driver-centered Class 8 electric truck, a follow-up to the company’s newly launched line of Pioneer diesel trucks (diesel Pioneer trucks are featured in this photo, courtesy of Mack Truck).
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