Overview
- U-Haul formally unveiled the 29-foot EM and opened reservations on May 20, offering a limited initial run placed in Greater Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
- The EM is built with Peterbilt and has 2,057 cubic feet of cargo space, a 6.7-liter gasoline engine, 11,939-pound payload capacity, and a certified GVWR of 25,999 pounds.
- U.S. licensing rules require a commercial driver's license once a vehicle’s GVWR hits 26,001 pounds, and U-Haul and Peterbilt set the EM’s rating just below that threshold so normal licenses legally suffice.
- U-Haul says in-town rentals start at $49.95 plus mileage, fees, and fuel, and the trucks were produced at U-Haul plants in Pomona, California, and Warrington, Pennsylvania for a summer rollout.
- Reporters and safety observers warn that legal eligibility does not guarantee safe handling, and they say inexperienced drivers operating a much larger truck could raise road-safety and training concerns as the model enters wide rental use.