The Freightliner Cascadia is a heavy-duty

semi-trailer truck A semi-trailer truck (also known by a wide variety of other terms – see below) is the combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight. A semi-trailer attaches to the tractor with a type of hitch called ...

produced by Freightliner Trucks. The Freightliner Cascadia was designed with

fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical energy, chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or Mechanical work, w ...

in mind, as well as improving upon several other features including the powertrain offerings, sound mitigation, safety systems, and overall mechanical reliability from its predecessors. It is offered in three basic configurations: Day Cab, Mid-Roof XT, and Raised Roof. The latter two models are sleeper cabs, offered in various lengths, ranging from 48 to 72 inches (Raised Roof models available for 60” or 72” lengths only). The Cascadia was sold chiefly in North America until 2020, when an export, primarily geared towards the Australian and New Zealand markets, was introduced. Before the introduction of the export variant, its place remained occupied by the Freightliner Century (no longer in US production) for export markets.

Cascadia Evolution

The Cascadia Evolution is a more fuel-efficient version of the Cascadia, released in 2013. Improvements were made to both the aerodynamics and the comfort of the driver. The instrument cluster was redesigned to be easier to read, the seats have improved back and lumbar support, dashboard switches are repositioned with larger, higher contrast text, and a battery-powered auxiliary HVAC system from Thermo King was offered. This system was designed to reduce overnight engine idling, both saving fuel and reducing noise while drivers are asleep.

2017 facelift

In 2017, the Cascadia received a major design revision for the 2018 model year. The general design of the body is the same except for revised chassis fairings and longer cab extenders. The 2018 Cascadia's exterior facelift consisted of a hood cowl with a more sculpted and aggressive design, along with a redesigned front bumper, a larger grille, and the addition of all-LED headlights. The new hood mirrors were more aerodynamic and improved bumper air dams were installed. Major updates were made to the truck's interior. The new revision included a new dashboard and more ergonomic seats. The Cascadia's sleeper contains a larger bunk, redesigned storage cabinets, and "aircraft-inspired" dimmable LED ceiling lights. An optional "driver's loft" feature adds a collapsible table and two collapsible seats, all of which stow underneath an extra-wide Murphy-style bunk. Battery-powered HVAC systems remain an option, however, in addition to the Thermo King units seen on the Cascadia Evolution, Freightliner now offers an internally manufactured equivalent system as well. Other features of the truck include the Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission, ultra-quiet door and window seals, a single panel windshield, all LED marker lights and taillights, and a suite of active and passive safety systems, including blind-spot monitoring, collision mitigation system, and lane-keeping assistance. The second-generation Cascadia is produced in the same three configurations as its predecessors, Day Cab, Mid-roof XT, and Raised Roof. The Interior is from the

Mercedes-Benz Actros The Mercedes-Benz Actros is a heavy-duty truck introduced by Mercedes-Benz at the 1996 Commercial Vehicle IAA in Hannover, Germany, as the replacement for the SK. It is normally used for long-distance haulage, heavy-duty distribution haula ...

(2014 Facelift).

Fifth Generation Cascadia

In 2024, Freightliner revealed the Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia. Improvements include updated front end styling, upgraded aerodynamics that give the vehicle better fuel efficiency, a MirrorCam system, an Intelligent Braking Control System, and headlights that give 30% better visibility at night.

eCascadia

The eCascadia is an all-

electric truck An electric truck is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Electric trucks have serviced niche applications like milk floats, Ground support equipment#Pu ...

variant of the Cascadia. As of 2022, the specifications of the long-range variant include a range of (single-drive) or (tandem-drive), using 438-kWh batteries, and , with charging to 80% in 90 minutes. It has a GCWR of up to and will compete with the

Tesla Semi The Tesla Semi is a battery electric semi-trailer truck built by Tesla, Inc. since 2022. The truck is powered by three motors, and according to Tesla has approximately three times the power of a typical diesel semi truck, a range of , and can o ...

. In August 2019, the first two eCascadias were delivered to customers in California as part of field tests. The manufacturer stated that the trucks are built "to test the integration of battery-electric trucks ntolarge-scale fleet operations". One of the customers, Penske, will be operating the truck "in regional traffic in Southern California" while the other, NFI, will use it in drayage operations at the

Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles. It occupies of land and water with of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "Amer ...

and the

Port of Long Beach The Port of Long Beach, administered as the Harbor Department of the City of Long Beach, is a container port in the United States, which adjoins Port of Los Angeles. Acting as a major gateway for US–Asian trade, the port occupies of land wi ...

. Order books opened in 2021, and one order was for 800 trucks. After testing a prototype to more than , production and official premiere took place in May 2022.

References

* http://www.daimler-trucksnorthamerica.com/news/press-release-detail.aspx#detroit-dt12-automated-manual-transmission-now-2013-09-18 , Giroux, David, "Detroit DT12 Automated Manual Transmission Now Available for Detroit DD13 Engine", 09/18/2013

External links