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Ram is working on an electric version of its popular pickup truck
Fiat Chrysler's CEO confirmed a Ram EV or hybrid is in the works.
Watch an electric Ford F-150 tow over a million pounds
Ford is trying to show its rabid pickup truck fans that EVs aren't just for latte-sipping Tesla pilots. In an impressive demonstration of torque, an electric F-150 prototype towed 10 double-decker rail cars stuffed with 42 current-model F-150s, weighing over a million pounds (500 tons) in total. That shows promise that it could beat Ford's current towing champ, the 2019 F-150 with a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6, that's rated to tow 13,200 pounds (6.6 tons).
Nikola will unveil electric versions of two semi-trucks in April
Nikola seems to have cracked the nut on how to build fully electric semi-trucks. It revealed its Nikola Two and Nikola Tre will be available in electric configurations as well as hydrogen. Nikola does plan to keep working on hydrogen trucks, so it's not fully switching to electric any time soon. It says hydrogen's cheaper for long-haul drives, and the startup expects to see 50 times as many orders for hybrids as its electric semi-trucks. However, it claims EVs are particularly useful for "inner cities and non-weight sensitive applications."
UPS will build 'medium-duty' delivery truck for its electric fleet
UPS' quest to electrify its trucks includes both giant semis and smaller last-mile trucks, but not so many of the vehicles in between. It might rectify that solution soon -- the courier company has teamed up with Thor Trucks to build and test a "medium-duty" electric delivery truck. While it's still in the early stages, the machine would use a "lightweight, durable" Thor battery that would enable a range of about 100 miles.
Volvo's first electric truck is built for city use
Today, Volvo announced its first electric truck for commercial use, called the Volvo FL electric. It's specifically designed for use in cities, intended for distribution and waste management in urban areas. The truck weighs in at about 16 tonnes (17.64 tons) and has different battery options totaling 100 to 300 kWh, depending on the size and scope of the job. Its range is up to 300 km (186 miles).
Tesla's latest Semi electric truck customer is DHL
Tesla has scored an order of ten Semi electric trucks from DHL, which plans to use it for short runs and same-day deliveries in US cities, according to the Wall Street Journal. The transport service also plans to trial it for longer trips and evaluate safety, comfort and other concerns. DHL won't be buying the Semi sight-unseen, as it has reportedly test-driven the rig and worked with Tesla over the past few months.
Daimler’s electric trucks start making deliveries in Japan and US
Most electric vehicle discussions revolve around passenger cars. Sometimes buses get thrown into the mix. We're laser-focused on how people will get from point A to point B and sometimes forget that our streets are also teeming with delivery trucks and vans. Daimler hasn't forgotten and neither has its light-truck brand Fuso.
Daimler unveils its electric truck weeks ahead of Tesla's big debut
We've known for a while that Tesla was set to unveil its electric truck this fall; it's currently set for November 16th, after a few delays. But Daimler AG has stolen its thunder by announcing a new heavy-duty electric truck today, another indication that Daimler is increasingly seeing Tesla as one of its main rivals.
Tesla pushes EV semi-truck launch to November 16th
The automotive world has been awaiting Tesla's long-teased electric semi-truck, which it was supposed to unveil on October 26th. But the company is pushing that date back to November 16th for a couple reasons: First, it needs to fix a few bottlenecks to speed up production of its upcoming Model 3 car. But more pressingly, the company is delaying the release of its truck to make more Powerwall batteries to send to Puerto Rico and other hurricane-devastated areas.
Mitsubishi electric delivery trucks are headed to the US
Tesla's long been teasing the unveiling (with test rides!) of its electric big rigs next month, and other companies in the auto industry like Cummins and Mercedes have made sure to introduce their own EV truck initiatives. Today, Daimler announced that it's bringing its smaller Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter trucks to the US, starting in New York City.
Tesla's electric big rigs may focus on shorter routes
Tesla's been teasing its all-electric big rigs since April, but details have been scarce ahead of its planned grand unveiling in September. Heck, Reuters had to peer into DMV emails to discover that the company intends to link its trucks together in self-driving "platoons" for efficiency. The news outlet has once again unearthed new info on the cargo hauling vehicles: They'll reportedly have a range between 200 and 300 miles on a single charge.
Watch an all-electric Bigfoot monster truck crush cars... quietly (video)
We're used to a lot of sturm und drang when monster trucks come out to play, so it's almost a shock when we don't get any -- and that's what both Ford and EnerSys pulled off earlier this fall. By outfitting Bigfoot 20 with 36 of EnerSys' batteries as well as a 350HP electric motor, the duo has developed what's claimed to be the first proper EV monster truck. The resulting prototype is defined more by what you don't hear than what you do, as you'll see in the video after the break; despite its giant wheels, Bigfoot is so quiet that the cars being crushed are louder. Our childhood selves would be heartbroken at the lack of vroom-vroom sounds, but we'll admit to wanting the all-electric process to go beyond parades and reach live monster truck shows -- if it preserves the planet, our hearing and a weekend tradition at the same time, we can't object.
Mitsubishi unveils electric Minicab MiEV at CEATEC
To complement Mitsubishi's existing electric minivan and car, the Minicab MiEV has parked itself here at CEATEC, Chiba, adding a Gasoline-avoiding pick-up truck to the family. Capable of reaching distances up to 110km on a single charge, with the option of a portable battery, the vehicle is set to roll in Japanese stores some time next year.
GE, Urban Green Energy set up first integrated, wind-powered EV charging station (video)
GE and Urban Green Energy might not be the first to install a wind-powered EV charging station, but the two may be the best prepared to take the concept to a grander scale. The partnership just installed the first Sanya Skypump just outside of Barcelona to serve corporate and government drivers with truly clean energy at levels that meet their typically heftier demands. It's billed as one of the first properly integrated wind-powered EV chargers, and it's undoubtedly one of the more elegant: one of UGE's 4K wind turbine towers catches energy from the breeze above, while a GE Durastation tucked neatly at the bottom provides high-voltage charging for EV drivers undoubtedly eager to get moving once again. Don't worry if you don't speak enough Catalan to charge up at the initial location, either, as plans are underway to bring Skypumps to malls and universities across Australia and the US before 2012 is over. The only catch is the frown you'll likely get if you try to plug in a personal car for a top-up -- let's hope the attention swings towards completely green power sources for commuters in the near future.
