Morgan Olson and Motiv Partner on Electric Trucks
Morgan Olson and Motiv Power Systems are collaborating to provide an all-electric option for Morgan Olson’s “Route Star” walk-in van, built on the Ford F59 chassis, according to a news release. The companies recently displayed the truck at The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.
“We are thrilled to be working with Motiv and utilizing their all-electric powertrain technology.” said Rich Tremmel, Morgan Olson’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Many fleet managers are exploring alternative-fuel solutions and finding electric to be ideal in many delivery applications. We want Morgan Olson to be the body company of choice for these new technologies.”
The new all-electric option of the Route Star walk-in van features up to 20% gradeability, 85 miles of range and a 50% battery charge time of 2.5 hours. The design of Morgan Olson’s walk-in van bodies demonstrate a 50% faster delivery time over conventional delivery trucks, according to the release.
The first all-electric walk-in van recently was delivered to AmeriPride Services’ Vernon, CA, facility. Within the next year, this facility will be utilizing the all-electric Route Star walk-in van as part of a pilot program to convert 20% of its fleet to zero-emission all-electric trucks. To read more about AmeriPride’s initiative, click here.
“It’s exciting to see leaders like Morgan Olson and AmeriPride embracing all-electric trucks in a significant way,” said Jim Castelaz, CEO of Motiv Power Systems. “Delivery trucks are central to America's economic health and by powering them with a Motiv all-electric powertrain, fleets gain some stability in their operating budgets, independence from fossil fuels and reduction of diesel particulate pollution in the communities they serve – a powerful triple benefit.”
The Motiv All-Electric Powertrain was named one of Popular Science’s Best of What’s New technologies and has been successfully used in school buses, shuttle buses, delivery trucks, maintenance trucks and North America’s only all-electric refuse truck in the city of Chicago.