• Retailer Walmart has partnered with automotive manufacturer Daimler Trucks and battery-electric (BEV) and fuel cell electric (FCEV) truck maker Nikola Motor Company to trial their respective “Freightliner eCascadia” and “Nikola Tre” Class 8 BEV trucks.

• Walmart will deploy the trucks to haul goods from suppliers’ premises to a Walmart consolidation center in Fontana, California later this summer (June–September).

<ul><li>Daimler develops battery-electric trucks named “eM2” and “eCascadia,” which were made available for preorder in April 2021, with production set to begin in late 2022. The eM2 model is capable of covering 230 miles on a single charge, while the eCascadia model has the capacity to cover 250 miles on a single charge.</ul>

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: Today’s news adds Walmart to Nikola’s growing list of partners including Total Transportation, Tri-Eagles Sales, Heniff Transportation Systems, USA Truck, Saia, and Covenant Logistics who have pre-ordered Nikola Tre BEV trucks. Meanwhile, Daimler joined forces with authorities in California last August to deliver 80 eCascadia trucks to NFI Industries and Schneider under an initiative to promote electric trucks.</ul>