Mack’s new Pioneer on-highway truck took center stage at ACT Expo, begging the obvious question posed by Mack Trucks North America president Jonathan Randall: “Why are we bringing a diesel truck to a clean transportation show?”

To answer that question, Fernando Coucerio, vice-president and product owner for Mack Trucks on-highway, said the 11% reduction in fuel consumption expected from the Pioneer will drive significant CO2 reductions, even if the engine is powered by diesel. “Just transitioning their fleets with newer and more efficient trucks is a very simple way [for fleets] to reduce CO2 emissions,” Coucerio said.

Looking at the well-to-wheel CO2 implications of a diesel truck, every gallon of fuel burned produces 26 lb. of CO2 emissions, known as the “emissions factor.”

The Pioneer’s predecessor, the Mack Anthem, averaged 7.5 mpg, meaning it produced 3.47 lb. of CO2 per mile driven.

“Just by upgrading to the Mack Pioneer, they can deliver that same load on that same route with the same driver in the same conditions, and can do it at 8.3 mpg,” Coucerio explained. “When you transform that into CO2 per mile, that’s 3.13. That’s a 10% CO2 reduction.”

However, the real gains come when fueling the truck with renewable diesel, which has an emissions factor of 5.3 lb. of CO2 per gallon. This drives the emissions factor down to 0.64 lb. of CO2 per mile – an 80% reduction in CO2 compared to the Mack Anthem with conventional diesel.

“That’s an 80% reduction in CO2 without having to invest in infrastructure or engine modifications. No changes in maintenance schedules. No operational impact,” he added.

But adding to the possibilities to slash emissions using the diesel-fueled Pioneer, Mack also announced at ACT Expo coming availability of two new CARB-compliant low-NOx engines.

The new MP13 variants will meet CARB’s 2024 Omnibus NOx requirements, requiring a further 75% reduction in NOx and 50% reduction in particulate matter. The engines are undergoing certification and will be available later this year.

But the new Pioneer also brings an option for fleets looking to generate zero tailpipe emissions. Randall announced at an ACT Expo press conference that a fully electric Mack Pioneer will be launched later this year.

The truck will feature a proprietary electric platform including Mack’s e-axle and Proterra batteries. It will be available as a day cab or with 44-inch short sleeper, ideal for regional haul, drayage and hub-and-spoke applications. It boasts a range of up to 300 miles (480 km).

As for the reception of the new Mack Pioneer, Randall said the company couldn’t be happier. More than 800 people attended the New York City launch, and some 70,000 watched the reveal online.

Order boards have been opened up and while Mack doesn’t share order numbers, Randall said “I can tell you that since then, we’ve had 600,000 configurations done on our online truck configurator by over 55,000 unique participants.”