As a believer in freedom, I think it’s every American’s God-given right to drive as big a vehicle as they’d like without pesky governmental oversight via things like a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Apparently, U-Haul feels the same way, and that’s why it has just launched a new rig, and it’s absolutely massive. What we’ve got here is a 29-foot-long Peterbilt box truck, and the only thing you’ll need to operate it is a valid driver’s license and $49.95 to start, plus mileage. How is this possible, might you ask? Well, this thing’s gross vehicle weight rating is a clean 25,999. What’s the minimum weight required for a CLD? Well, it’s 26,000. Yep. I know. I’m scared too.
The new flagship — dubbed the EM, which stands for “Easy Mover” — launches in the Greater Los Angeles and Philadelphia markets to start, and it’s available to rent on the company’s website right now. Famously, those are two places that are very easy to maneuver and drive in, especially with 29-foot trucks. U-Haul says this gasser Peterbilt box truck has a 2,057-cubic-foot cargo area, which should be more than enough to fit the belongings from 4- to 6-bedroom homes inside of it.
The company says the Peterbilt’s cab can seat three people comfortably, and you’re going to need those extra sets of eyes to help you avoid driving over medium-sized adults, animals, and buildings while behind the wheel of such a massive rig. U-Haul says the EM uses a turbocharged 6.7-liter gasoline-powered motor with 300 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque. We’re fairly certain this motor is Cummins’ latest creation: a turbocharged inline-6 gasser that seems like a diesel in just about every way, other than the sort of fuel it takes.
A U-Haul Peterbilt built for you
Despite the fact that a Peterbilt from U-Haul is a daunting idea, the company is staunch in its claim that it’ll be user-friendly and intuitive. That’s why it’s got the gas motor, an eight-speed automatic transmission, hydraulic brakes, an oversized windshield, air conditioning, and even cruise control. U-Haul’s Truck Product Director, Jeremy Donohue, said they wanted to “design a truck that fits everybody.” Yeah, with 26 feet of floor length, it certainly does.
“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,” Donohue said in a press release. “The EM’s features are like every other vehicle our customers drive.”
U-Haul
If you’ve gotten to this point and you’re still feeling brave or confident that you could take on the EM, I suppose you’ll want to know about its specs. Well, here you go, you loon:
- Inside Dimensions: 29’2″ long x 8’1″ wide x 8’9″ tall
- Mom’s Attic: 2’7″ long x 8’1″ wide x 3’2″ tall
- Deck Height from Ground: 30-34″
- Door Opening: 7’9″ wide x 7’4″ tall
- Loading Ramp Width: 2′ 7″
- Max Load: 11,939 lbs.
- Gross Vehicle Weight: 25,999 lbs. max.
- Empty Weight: 14,060 lbs.
- Towing Capacity: Up to 10,000 lbs.
- Volume: 2,057 cu. ft.
- Clearance Height: 12 ft
According to U-Haul, it gets 8 mpg on average and has a 60-gallon fuel tank. Though, that 8-mpg figure doesn’t include the back being loaded up with 11,000 pounds of your stuff. So, if you drive it unloaded, from full to zero, it’ll potentially take you as far as 480 miles, and filling it up with regular fuel will cost you — based on today’s AAA average of $4.564 per gallon — $273.84. That will, of course, pale in comparison to what you’ll pay in legal fees from the potential property destruction you could cause behind the wheel of this giant thing. Drive carefully, my friends.
