U-Haul teams with Pete, Cummins on gasoline-powered ‘Easy Mover’
Just in time for the peak summer moving season, U-Haul has rolled out its “Easy Mover” truck with a 29-foot-long cargo space.
The EM marks the first collaboration between U-Haul and Peterbilt and offers a cargo area that is able to accommodate the household goods of most 4- to 6-bedroom homes, according to the company.
U-Haul last introduced a new size of box truck in 2011 with its 20-foot TT model. The EM’s length, cubic footage, and torque surpass the 26-foot JH model, which debuted as the largest U-Haul fleet vehicle in 1988 and held that title until now.
“U-Haul is disrupting the industry again by committing to R&D to put out newer, better products for the moving customer,” Kyle Royer, U-Haul VP of rates and distribution, said. “Moving is stressful. We want to make it easier for you to move to the next phase of life. U-Haul does that better than anyone.”
Truck highlights
The EM’s features include:
- Peterbilt Model 536, Class 6 chassis
- 29 ft. truck box length: 26 ft. floor, 3 ft. Mom’s Attic storage over cab, for 2,057 cubic feet of cargo area
- Cummins B6.7 Octane turbo-charged direct injection; 660 lb-ft torque; 300 horsepower; takes regular unleaded gas
- 10,000 lbs. towing capacity; 25,999 lbs. max gross vehicle weight; 11,939 lbs. payload
- 8-speed automatic smart transmission; hydraulic brakes
- Low step; low door handle; XL windshield for improved visibility; power windows/locks; cruise control; ergonomic cab
- Compact front-end configuration for easier turning
- Deck height of 30 inches and load ramp angle of 16.8 degrees in lowered position for easy load/unload
What U-Haul is saying
“We wanted to design a truck that fits everybody,” explained Jeremy Donohue, U-Haul truck product director. “If you’ve never driven a truck, our goal was to remove the adversity, so nothing is difficult. Everything is intuitive. Everything is accessible. Controls are easily laid out. The EM’s features are like every other vehicle our customers drive.”
The 29-foot truck packs plenty of power, looking and feeling like a diesel engine while running on regular unleaded fuel. “People are going to be very interested to see this,” Donohue added.
“It looks big,” Royer added. “But then you sit in it and it doesn’t drive that way. The first turn you make, it’s relieving, it’s shocking. It almost doesn’t make sense. We made a bigger truck that is somehow easier to drive.
“For consumers it’s ‘move more, lift less, spend less. With a deck height that rides at 34 inches and drops to 30 with air bags, we’ve made a bigger truck that is actually easier to load and unload. There’s no equivalent.”