Tesla stole the headlines in mid-November when it unveiled its much-anticipated electric semi truck. DHL, Wal-Mart and trucking firm J.B. Hunt are among the companies that have placed orders, even as questions remain about the trucks’ range and battery size.
Elon Musk’s company is far from alone in looking to electrify commercial and public vehicles. Germanys Daimler is accelerating its plans to produce electric trucks, saying its Fuso eCanter “urban delivery truck” will be cost-competitive with diesel trucks within two years as battery prices continue to fall. UPS has signed up to buy eCanters, and Daimler supplied a fleet of the vehicles to some non-profits in New York in October. And Mercedes-Benz will soon offer electric versions of all of its commercial vans and trucks.
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