An EV semi flexes its muscle in coastal Georgia

The Freightliner eCascadia electric tractor-trailer truck was in Port Wentworth, Georgia to show off its suitability for drayage.
Current Trucking’s eCascadia from Freightliner is a Class 8 semi truck with a range of about 250 miles, making it desirable for drayage. (Justin Taylor/The Current)

“Let’s watch this little puppy pull out of here,” Sean Register told the group assembled Thursday at his Port Wentworth truck stop, Port Fuel Center.

The “puppy” in question was a Freightliner eCascadia electric tractor-trailer truck, which is free from the noisy growl of its diesel-powered counterparts. It sat just yards away from Register, running silently.

The electric Freightliner, owned by New Jersey-based Current Trucking, was in town to show off its suitability for drayage. That’s the term for trucks hauling freight short distances, such as from the Port of Savannah to a Port Wentworth warehouse or distribution center. Current Trucking, Port Fuel Center and the electric charging company Go-Station co-sponsored the electric drayage demo to show logistics and warehousing companies what an electric semi can do.