Commercial vehicle
-
The eDumper makes a good case for going fully electric with heavy-duty construction, mining, and industrial equipment.
-
Quiet launch: Daimler builds first electric heavy-duty semis for fleet test
With a fleet test of the Freightliner eCascadia by real customers, Daimler Trucks will fine-tune its upcoming heavy-duty electric semi ahead of its official 2021 production start.
Bengt Halvorson -
Fiat Ducato Electric debuts in Europe, first electric commercial van from brand
Fiat is entering the electric commercial vehicle market with the Ducato Electric, a vehicle related to the U.S. Ram ProMaster.
Aaron Cole -
Toyota and Kenworth to build 10 fuel-cell semis for LA port duty
The word "drayage" isn't commonly used, even among green-car fans, but it's used by the shipping and logistics industries to refer to the transport of goods over short distances. Drayage turns out to be the sweet spot for early efforts to put zero-emission heavy trucks on the road, including a...
John Voelcker -
UPS adds battery energy storage for 118 electric vans in UK
Electric vehicles are not only zero-emission and quieter and more pleasant to drive, they also clearly lower emissions of the carbon dioxide linked to climate change under most circumstances. For fleet operators who recharge large fleets of electric vehicles overnight, however, the load on electric...
John Voelcker -
UPS says 50 Workhorse plug-in hybrid trucks cost no more than regular delivery vans
For almost a decade, commercial-fleet managers have acknowledged that electric truck are much cheaper to run per mile than the diesel equivalents they now use. But justifying the purchase of electric trucks has been a challenge because their upfront costs have been considerably higher. That may now...
John Voelcker -
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter commercial van launched today, the later generation of the successful delivery vehicle, and an electric version will enter production in 2019. It will debut initially in European markets, and might possibly make its way to North America—maybe. The eSprinter will borrow the electric powertrain from the eVito van now available in Europe, a slightly larger option to such small-van competitors as the Ford Transit Connect. DON'T MISS: Voltia conversion expands Nissan e-NV200 electric delivery van for London The company's approach to building an all-electric...
-
Workhorse expands $1,000 preorders for plug-in hybrid pickup from fleets to public for $1,000
After $300 million in claimed fleet preorders for its plug-in hybrid pickup truck, Workhorse will open its order books for everyone to claim a spot in the production schedule. The Workhorse W-15 will be the first publicly available vehicle from a company that began its electrification journey more...
Mark Stevenson -
California OKs more than half a billion dollars to clean up freight trucks, trains, buses
California is using the growing sums of money it receives from its emission cap-and-trade auction for good, including to tackle up some of the state's most egregious transportation polluters. In mid-December, California announced it would invest $663 million in a plan to clean up particularly dirty...
Mark Stevenson -
Awake at the wheel: Tesla is far from alone in electric trucks
This time, Elon Musk is not alone. In mid-December, Daimler delivered its first 14 Fuso eCanter electric delivery trucks to customers in Germany, a reminder that while Tesla caught car companies flat-footed in 2012, incumbent truck makers are already preparing their countermeasures. In...
Matthew Klippenstein -
Wal-Mart, Anheuser-Busch, DHL to test Tesla Semi; now UPS, Pepsi too (more updates)
An Instagram post by an "outdoor living design and construction firm serving the Chicago Southland" seems to confirm at least several hundred reservations for Tesla's new all-electric truck. Elemental Landscapes of Illinois posted a screenshot of its reservation for three Tesla Semi trucks, showing...
Mark Stevenson -
Voltia conversion expands Nissan e-NV200 electric delivery van for London
As the United Kingdom joins other countries in committing to a future ban on fossil-fuel vehicles, commercial fleet operators that rely on diesel vehicles are left in a bit of a pickle. Nissan has an answer in its zero-emission eNV200 electric cargo van, but its small dimensions leave a lot to be...
Mark Stevenson -
The current fleet of delivery trucks used by the United States Postal Service have stood the test of time, but their high maintenance costs mean it's time to retire the iconic boxy vehicles. The USPS began soliciting bids in 2016 and five finalists now remain in the running: they are Workhorse/Hackney, AM General, Karsan, Mahindra, and Oshkosh. Two of the finalists offer electrified options—Workhorse and Mahindra—and environmental groups are urging the USPS to choose an electric future over one powered by fossil fuels. DON'T MISS: U.S.P.S. 'Long Life' Vehicles Last 25 Years, But...
-
Tesla Semi: 500-mile range, lower running costs than diesel... and it's fast
The long-awaited Tesla Semi electric truck was unveiled Thursday night and it promises to shake up the shipping industry by significantly reducing the cost of transporting goods from point-to-point. Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Semi at a private event in California, where he touted a 500-mile...
Andrew Ganz -
Driving a Chanje electric electric cargo van: very big, far better than diesel
A Class 5 cargo van is a remarkably large vehicle, especially when navigating it through the mixed industrial and 19th-century residential streets of the Prospect Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. The Chanje V8070 electric cargo van, in fact, is the largest vehicle—electric or...
John Voelcker -
Workhorse N-Gen electric parcel van comes with optional drone delivery
Workhorse, best known for its forthcoming W-15 range-extended electric pickup truck, today revealed its newest vehicle. The N-Gen electric van will tackle the important "last-mile" delivery segment, performed by vehicles that deliver parcels over relatively short distances. Not only makers like...
Sean Szymkowski -
Mercedes parent Daimler launches E-Fuso electric truck sub-brand
Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz and Smart, also owns the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation—which it used last week to preview major shifts coming to its Daimler Trucks business. It all took place at the reveal of E-Fuso, a new sub-brand of Daimler's Fuso operation that will...
Sean Szymkowski -
Nissan e-NV200 Fridge Concept: electric refrigerated van at Tokyo Motor Show
Nissan will roll out a new electric van concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, one that it believes will help solve urban delivery congestion. The e-NV200 Fridge Concept adds a refrigerated compartment to the existing e-NV200 electric small delivery van to keep various perishable goods fresh while...
Sean Szymkowski -
Volkswagen Group has now detailed its aggressive electrification timeline for every part of its vehicle operations, including heavy trucks, setting lofty goals for zero-emission vehicles in the future. While Volkswagen works on the passenger car side of things, VW Group's commercial-vehicle division, Volkswagen Truck & Bus, said in a company release that it plans to launch electric vehicles starting as early as next year. Volkswagen Truck & Bus operates the Man and Scania brands, and it's strategically aligned with Navistar in the United States. DON'T MISS: Volkswagen ID electric car...
-
Nissan e-NV200 electric van gets longer-range battery; still no U.S. plans
While U.S. buyers eagerly await the arrival of the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car at dealerships early next year, the company has updated another of its electric vehicles as well. Unfortunately, it's one that the company has no current plans to sell in North America. That's the new longer-range...
John Voelcker -
Electric trucks to grow fast from now through 2030: report
In the coming years, the world's auto industry will continue to shift its product mix to electric and electrified vehicles to meet growing concerns over carbon emissions and stringent fuel-economy regulations across the globe. However, the passenger-car segment isn't the only area that will see...
Sean Szymkowski -
Ford Transit van with range-extended electric powertrain revealed
As European countries continue to crack down on emissions from road vehicles, automakers are stepping up with solutions to reduce levels of smog-causing nitrogen oxides, especially in city centers. Ford identified the commercial vehicle segment as one it believes is ripe for electrification, and...
Sean Szymkowski -
Chanje electric delivery truck from China to go on sale this year
A new electric-vehicle company called Chanje isn't focused on cars; instead, has set its sights on what it believes is a prime market for electric vehicles. That market is medium-duty delivery trucks, of which there are 7 million in the United States. About 500,000 new commercial-delivery trucks...
Sean Szymkowski -
Cummins electric semi truck: traditional maker takes on Tesla
The well-established Cummins company chose an appropriate time to reveal its all-electric semi tractor concept: just before Tesla prepares to reveal its own electric semi next month. The traditional diesel-engine maker debuted its Urban Hauler Tractor, a Class 7 semi truck with a 44,000-pound...
Sean Szymkowski