Motiv Energy Techniques, a 14-year veteran of the electrical truck business, has simply introduced Argo, a brand new medium-duty Class 4-6 truck designed from the bottom as much as be electrical, out there in 2024.

Electrical trucking is a scorching sector proper now resulting from new guidelines adopted by California requiring fast electrification of economic fleets. These guidelines imply about 20,000 medium-duty electrical vans will must be deployed by the tip of 2024.

And Motiv hopes that it might probably have the Argo in manufacturing by late subsequent 12 months and hopes to supply presumably a thousand of these automobiles (an optimistic quantity, provided that it at the moment solely has 180 automobiles deployed within the subject).

Motiv has offered vans to Cintas, Bimbo Bakeries, and Purolator however is hoping to double its complete delivered fleet this 12 months after which scale up shortly to match the tsunami of demand it sees coming in 2024 and 2025.

Motiv says the expertise and suggestions it has collected by its years of offering EVs to its clients has helped it design the Argo to higher match real-world wants. Its cab includes a command seating place (serving to to deliver the battery ahead, taking some weight off the rear axle) however has taken some classes from the step van world and included stairs reasonably than a ladder for simpler entry and exit.

Argo will likely be constructed on Motiv’s next-generation platform, which it introduced in April. The platform makes use of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, that are cheaper and extra sturdy than lithium-ion, however don’t provide fairly as a lot power density.

However even with a comparatively much less dense LFP battery, Motiv says the Argo will provide 150 miles of vary with its base 158 kWh battery, even when loaded to its max 26,000 lb gross car weight ranking (GVWR). There will likely be a further three-module 237 kWh possibility out there, which is able to give over 200 miles of vary.

Motiv says its powertrain, co-developed with Nidec, makes as much as 1,770 lb-ft of torque, which is as a lot as a Class 8 diesel truck, however in a Class 4-6 package deal. This offers it higher efficiency than any gasoline-powered equal when totally loaded (4-6 tons).

Within the face of latest rules and to meet ESG commitments, firms are scrambling to make plans, and the price of vans and availability of charging are two main questions for fleets as they prepare for electrification.

Motiv thinks the Argo presents higher solutions to those questions for a lot of fleets. It hasn’t but introduced a value for the Argo however desires to maintain it below $250,000 (earlier than a business EV tax credit score of as much as $40,000) – which it says is decrease than rivals just like the Freightliner eM2.

This, in fact, comes alongside a lot decrease operational prices and better uptime than diesel vans, and Motiv says Argo can have a less complicated powertrain with much less cabling and fewer components than its electrical competitors as nicely, resulting in probably decrease upkeep prices.

Argo may even use a 400-volt DC charging system able to 65 kW, differing from a few of its rivals, that are going with 800-volt programs. Motiv thinks the decrease voltage will provide a bonus in that it might probably interface with present DC chargers from the light-duty world, which ought to make charging simpler. For AC charging, it has a 19.2 kW onboard charger. Argo will probably use the NACS connector, however Motiv hasn’t determined but since issues are altering quickly on that entrance.

That DC cost charge appears low in comparison with light-duty automobiles, however the fleets that Motiv companies are likely to have outlined routes and lengthy park instances on the finish of the day. It figures most clients will cost in a single day on an 80-amp charger and recommends that because the optimum charging resolution.

Argo is on the market for pre-order now, however prototypes gained’t be out till early 2024, with car deliveries in late 2024. You possibly can discover out extra in regards to the Argo on Motiv’s web site.