Universal Logistics, an intercontinental transportation and logistics firm that operates in the US, Mexico, Canada and Colombia, has added the Peterbilt Model 579EV truck to its fleet in southern California, where it will be used for intermodal logistics.

Designed for regional-haul applications, the Peterbilt Model 579EV features a battery-electric system that the company says provides efficient operation and lower overall maintenance compared to legacy diesel trucks. The 85-year-old company states that the 579EV “is ideal for regional haul and drayage applications, in part because the frequent starts and stops engage the regenerative braking.”

The Model 579EV’s day-cab configuration features a drive system that uses the energy stored in large packs of lithium iron phosphate batteries. It went into production in 2021 along with two other all-electric motor lines, the Class 8 520EV low-cab COE and the Class 7 220EV COE (cab over engine).

In 2021, Peterbilt announced that the Model 579EV had become the first electric Class 8 truck to reach the summit of Pikes Peak.

An electric truck does cost substantially more than its diesel equivalent. According to a 2022 report by WCTV, a CBS network affiliate serving the Tallahassee, Florida, market, Performance Peterbilt of Tallahassee sold its first two electric trucks for $350,000 each.

Source: Universal Logistics Holdings