Daimler’s small electric trucks are coming to America

Daimler AG announced today that it’s bringing the Mitsubishi FUSO eCanter short-range electric truck to the United States. The first commercial partner is UPS, which will use three of the trucks in “locations to be determined.” Daimler had previously struck a deal with Seven-Eleven to send 25 of the trucks to Japan, and put them into production earlier this summer.

Four New York City-based nonprofit organizations will also receive a small fleet of eCanter trucks: the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Botanical Garden, Habitat for Humanity, and Big Reuse Brooklyn. The trucks will be provided to UPS and the NGOs on a two-year lease basis.

The truck is best suited in cities or small areas, as it has a range of about 62 miles, thanks to six battery packs that combine to make about 83kWh of usable energy. The trucks can carry three to four and a half tons of cargo, which is a few tons less than the diesel equivalent, but they’re quieter, and emissions-free. In the long run, the electric version should also be cheaper. Daimler says it will save about $2,000 in operating costs for every 10,000 miles driven.

Adding electric trucks to the fleet isn’t a new concept for UPS, which says it operates more than 8,500 “alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles,” including 770 electric or hybrid vehicles in cities around the world.