Daimler Pushes New Electric Truck Brand in the US to Compete with Isuzu and Hino

Commercial vehicle maker Daimler launched its medium-sized electric truck brand Rizon in the US on April 27, aiming to compete with Isuzu and Toyota's Hino, according to foreign media reports.
For a long time, truck manufacturers have wanted to make the transition to lower-maintenance electric vehicles, but the popularity of electric trucks has been slow due to high purchase prices and a lack of adequate charging infrastructure in the market.
Andreas Deuschle, global head of Rizon, told reporters that the brand will offer Class 4 and Class 5 trucks with lithium iron phosphate technology, with production starting in the third quarter of 2023. The company said it will start selling electric trucks in the fourth quarter through an exclusive agreement with Velocity Vehicle Group.
Karl Deppen, head of Daimler Trucks Asia, said that the price of electric vehicles is coming down as some vehicles are able to benefit from subsidies. In addition, interest in purely electric trucks is rising as they are quieter and more comfortable than diesel trucks.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed earlier this month to cut emissions from new cars and trucks across the board by 2032, a move the agency said could mean that within a decade, two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the US market will be electric models. Stricter emission rules for medium-sized vehicles are expected to reduce emissions by 44% by 2026.
Daimler has previously produced a medium-duty truck: the Freightliner eM2 106 for distribution, and the Freightliner eCascadia, an 18-wheel truck designed for regional distribution and port service with a range of up to 230 miles (about 368 km).
Depending on the battery model, the Rizon trucks will offer a range of 75 miles to 110 miles (approximately 121 km to 177 km) or 110 miles to 160 miles (approximately 176 km to 256 km). The company said that its target customers are organisations involved in urban retail logistics, last-mile deliveries and municipal work.