Shyft Group, previously Spartan Motors, will launch Blue Arc EV Options, a division that can promote its electrical chassis and Class three electrical supply van.
The suburban Detroit business car producer, one of many nation’s largest, plans to ship its first product, the Blue Arc supply van, to fleet prospects for testing in spring or summer time, the corporate stated Wednesday on the NTEA’s Work Truck Week present in Indianapolis. Full manufacturing, Shyft stated, is anticipated to start round June 2023 at one of many firm’s Southeastern vegetation.
Shyft engineers developed the van’s chassis and physique in-house. The chassis could be ordered in quite a lot of wheelbases and lengths and with completely different measurement battery packs.
Shyft Group CEO Daryl Adams says the new van will initially have a spread of 150 to 175 miles from the lithium ion battery pack. Prolonged-range vans with larger battery packs might be supplied. Relying on the wheelbase, the cargo areas can vary from 14 to 18 ft lengthy and haul as a lot as 5,000 kilos. Storage capability ranges from 635 to 800 cubic ft.
The vans are outfitted with photo voltaic roof panels to assist preserve electrical energy flowing into the battery pack when the van is on the highway. In April, Shyft plans to introduce a remote-controlled moveable charging machine known as the Energy Dice, which might recharge a car in round two hours.
Blue Arc vans have been designed to maintain weight down. They use aluminum and composite our bodies and are outfitted with light-weight honeycomb aluminum shelving, which shaves 175 kilos off the car’s curb weight, the corporate stated.
If a buyer desires to purchase simply the chassis — which might be despatched to an upfitter for a customized physique — Blue Arc will supply these as effectively. No costs had been introduced.
“This all-new EV chassis and supply van gives purpose-built, buyer targeted work vehicles that improve velocity, effectivity and impression on our prospects’ backside line,” Eric Fisher, normal supervisor of Blue Arc EV Options stated in a press release.
Shyft says it has already signed it first buyer for the Blue Arc van, Randy Marion Automotive Group. The corporate, which has franchised new-car dealerships in North Carolina, is also a big vendor of fleet autos.
“The EV walk-in supply van goes to be one-of-a-kind out there as a result of no person else presently has the potential to fabricate each the chassis and the our bodies like Blue Arc,” Brad Sigmon, vice chairman of gross sales at Randy Marion Automotive Group, stated in a press release.
The business electrical supply van phase has been rising as corporations equivalent to Amazon, UPS, Walmart and others are within the early levels of weaning themselves off fossil-fuel autos. Amazon has ordered 100,000 electrical vans from Rivian and is working with Stellantis to develop an electrical model of the Ram ProMaster. Ford started production of the battery-powered Transit van in February.