Proterra and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) announced a collaboration to develop the MT50e, a new all-electric delivery truck chassis. The production-ready MT50e will be on display at the upcoming NTEA Work Truck Show, 4-6 March in Indianapolis.

Built on FCCC’s MT platform, the MT50e will feature a Proterra battery system with 226 kWh of energy capacity and an all-electric drive system. The all-electric chassis can support a GVWR of 16,000 to 23,000 pounds, with no reduction in cargo volume capacity. The vehicle is designed to enable more than 125 miles (201 km) driving range and can fully charge in three hours with SAE J1772 CCS DC fast charging.

The production-ready MT50e chassis with Proterra battery system

The MT-50e is designed to combine the reliability and durability of FCCC’s products with the efficiency and performance of a factory-installed, fully integrated electric power system. Launched as a prototype at the 2019 Work Truck Show, the MT50e is the first planned product in what will be a portfolio of all-electric products for a variety of vocations including pick-up and delivery, baker and linen vocations.

Through years of innovative engineering, Proterra has developed high-performance battery systems for commercial vehicle applications. Proterra’s EV technology has been proven with more than 10 million service miles to date with its electric transit bus fleet. Today, Proterra is leveraging its industry-leading electric vehicle technology and expertise to help commercial vehicle manufacturers electrify their heavy-duty vehicles, like school buses, coach buses—and now delivery vehicles.

Proterra manufactures high-performance battery systems that have industry-leading energy density for maximum range, a flexible design to fit within a wide variety of vehicles, and a ruggedized commercial grade housing to withstand harsh environments.

Designed from the cell level up for commercial usage, Proterra battery systems’ modular designs enable customizable battery pack dimensions that can be configured to fit within a variety of heavy-duty vehicle platforms. In addition to industry-leading energy density, Proterra battery systems are manufactured with safety mechanisms built directly into the battery architecture.

In addition to the electric vehicle components, Proterra also offers high power charging systems that are purpose-built for commercial applications and use standardized technology for interoperability. Proterra charging systems utilize the universal J1772-CCS Type 1 charging standard, enabling operators to utilize Proterra charging systems for a range of battery-electric powered vehicles.