Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) said it is advancing the transformation of the transportation sector toward carbon-neutral propulsion systems by integrating battery electric trucks into its own logistics operations. The deployment of the Freightliner eCascadia trucks in DTNA’s inbound logistics network demonstrates that potential within the company’s fleet, DTNA said.

To address infrastructure challenges, DTNA will utilize “Electric Island,” a heavy-duty electric truck charging site opened in 2021 in Portland, OR. This site was designed to accelerate the development, testing and deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicles and provides the necessary infrastructure to support the company’s sustainable logistics vision, DTNA said.

The four electric vehicles that DTNA will initially deploy will be utilized to pick up parts from various supplier locations in the Pacific Northwest and deliver them to DTNA’s consolidation center in Portland. From this consolidation center, the parts are then shipped to DTNA’s North American manufacturing plants and aftermarket parts distribution centers.

“By integrating electric trucks into our inbound logistics network, we aim to reduce our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future that goes beyond truck development and manufacturing,” Jeff Allen, senior vice president, operations and specialty vehicles of DTNA said. “Sustainability is a cornerstone of our corporate governance. We take the associated responsibility for our employees, for the environment and society as a whole very seriously.”

DTNA said it plans to incorporate CO₂-neutral production at all its remaining truck manufacturing plants by 2025. Moreover, it said it is actively developing solutions to optimize the entire lifecycle of batteries used in its electric trucks, including remanufacturing, repurposing and end-of-life recycling.