Car FYI

Photo Credit: Daimler AG Nearing 80 years as a constructor of commercial trucks, Freightliner has a history for being an innovative name in the industry for heavy, work-duty vehicles. Starting with the creation of their first truck incorporating an all-aluminum cab, the brand is linked to pioneering the use of liquefied propane, the four-wheel drive Mountaineer tractor and more recently vehicle connectivity through factory-installed telematics. Freightliner’s Cascadia class 8 truck lineup has reflected much of the company’s current commitment to contemporary hauling since its introduction in 2007 featuring a lightweight, aerodynamic design as well as various cost-saving maintenance characteristics. Following the large vehicle’s debut, the Cascadia has been a frequent recipient of enterprising updates such as an optional in-cab exercise system and a technological productivity suite called Detroit Connect. In a project first seeing the light of day in 2018...

Photo Credit: CNW Group/The Lion Electric Co. In the rapidly growing marketplace for larger battery-electric vehicles, Canadians can take place pride in the efforts of a thriving Quebec-based company. Adopting their current name Lion Electric Company in 2017, the manufacturer was founded in 2008 as a producer of school and commercial buses in a suburb of Montreal called Saint-Jerome. Lion Electric’s current product portfolio has expanded to include a Class 6 and a Class 8 battery-electric truck suited for a variety of urban-oriented roles. Based around a similar front end and cab design, the Lion6 and Lion8 lineups are specifically developed as a fully electric platform. Lion Electric boasts lower maintenance and energy costs as advantages for their vehicles over diesel-powered trucks in addition to zero tailpipe emissions. With a 26,000-pound GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), the Class 6 Lion6 model range is offered on 195-inch and 212-inch wheelbase length. T...

Photo Credit: Mack Trucks In 1900, brothers Augustus and John Mack would set up a company that would immortalize their name as the generic slang for a heavy truck. One of the oldest-running brands in the commercial truck industry in North America, Mack’s popularity has been based around the production of gasoline and diesel vehicles that were instrumental in supporting our everyday lives. While Mack Trucks have served an integral role in working class life, the brand is also defined for its participation in vital yet unsung jobs including the chore of waste collection. The coldest truth is that many of us may not truly appreciate the mechanics of a machine used for the purposes of removing refuse. However, Mack’s latest LR Electric model may give us reason to admire the vehicle we ineloquently refer to as a garbage truck.  With pre-production models currently being demonstrated in New York City and by North Carolina-based Republic Services, the Mack LR Electric is a battery-powered...

Photo Credit: Tesla Inc. Having already achieved fame for inspiring the modern fully electric vehicle renaissance this century with passenger cars, Tesla Motors has set sights on converting their success into the commercial vehicle industry. First introduced in 2017, the Tesla Semi’s bold design and ingenuity makes the truck more than just a fully electrified transporter.   Being offered in versions with a range of 475 kilometers or 800 kilometers, the Tesla Semi boasts the credentials for being a one of the smartest, safest and comfortable Class 8 commercial trucks on the road. With the four electric motors mounted at the two rear axles of the vehicle, the Semi’s lack of the traditional engine compartment ahead of the driver helped Tesla conceive a front design resembling a cab over truck layout or a modern passenger train. With a 0.36 drag coefficient, the battery electric hauler’s unique shape is aided by an imaginative cabin layout.  Photo Credit: Tesla Inc. Placing t...