Watch Peterbilt Model 579EV Conquer Pikes Peak

It’s the first battery electric Class 8 truck that reached the summit of Pikes Peak.

Peterbilt Model 579EV is a new, all-electric Class 8 truck that this year will enter the U.S. market. Orders were accepted starting in November 2020 and production should start by Q2 2021.

Here we can take a look at the Model 579EV at the famous hillclimb Pikes Peak route in Colorado, where PACCAR’s Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks were tested in late 2020.

According to Peterbilt, Model 579EV is the first Class 8 battery-electric truck that reached the summit of Pikes Peak. Moreover, during the three-day test period, the route was covered up and down multiple times.

The conclusion is that the handling of the EV truck is better than the diesel equivalent, thanks to a lower center of gravity. Regenerative braking on the other hand plays an important role to save energy and brakes.

“Along with over 110,000 real-world miles on the Peterbilt EV fleet of trucks, this feat further proves that the 579EV is ready for real world, customer operations today.”

“Peterbilt tackled the challenge of climbing to the top of Pikes Peak, or “America’s Mountain”, to highlight the 579EV’s excellent power capabilities and drivability, even under extreme road conditions and cold temperatures. The most famous mountain road in the United States, the ascent to Pikes Peak’s summit at 14,115 feet has an average grade of 7% and incorporates 156 turns over the last 12.42 miles.

Over a 3-day period, the 579EV made the journey up Pikes Peak multiple times with ease, each time using the recovered energy from regenerative braking on the descent to recharge the high-density battery packs to repeat each climb with ease.”

Peterbilt Model 579EV spces:

  • range up to 150 miles (241 km)
  • LFP lithium-ion batteries, “thermally-controlled”
  • system output of 670 hp
    a tandem drive configuration with Meritor 14Xe e-axle motors
  • charging in 3-4 hours (DC)

Besides the Model 579EV, Peterbilt offers two other electric vehicles: Model 520EV and Model 220EV.

The Model 220EV is a battery-electric truck, available in Class 6 or Class 7 versions. Customer deliveries were promised to start in late 2020.

Peterbilt Model 220EV spces:

  • 100 miles (160 km) in 141 kWh battery version
    200 miles (320 km) in 282 kWh battery version

https://www.youtube.com/embed/o5tUQ2OtFEI

The Model 520EV is envisioned for refuse applications. Deliveries are expected to start in 2021.

  • up to 900 bins on a single charge
  • 308-420 kWh battery
  • system output up to 670 hp
  • 1 hour DC fast charging

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pvfgtkh0pBUhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/E_FixnXcD9U

Let’s add that, during the same test and demonstration event in Pikes Peak, Kenworth became the first company that made it to the top in a hydrogen fuel cell truck T680 FCEV:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/02eiIy_l6XA

Just like Peterbilt, Kenworth will offer similar all-electric trucks: Class 6 K270E and Class 7 K370E.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/zrj64YSESd4
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