Navistar Begins Indiana Production of Battery-Electric Cargo Van
By John O'Dell May 13, 2010
Just seven months after being awarded a $39 million federal development grant, truck-maker Navistar International today began commercial production of its first purpose-built electric model - a 2-ton cargo van.
The company said in a press conference this morning that it expects to build 4000 of the sleek eStar brand trucks this year and to gradually ramp up the new Navistar Modec Electric Vehicle Alliance truck site near Elkhart, Ind., for production of as many as 5,000 a year.
As we reported earlier this year, the first four vans, which sell for just under $150,000 each, have been sold to FedEx for use in its Los Angeles fleet.
Navistar executives wouldn't disclose total pre-production sales but did say this morning that it has received "inquiries" about orders that would account for 200 of the trucks planned for production this year.
One participant in the Navistar press conference this morning was the transportation manager for Pacific Gas & Electric, the giant Northern California power utility that operates one of the largest truck fleets in the nation.
While not able to confirm that PG&E is ordering eStars from Navistar, the utility's Dave Meisel sang the praises of electric trucks and said they would have tremendous opportunity for application in the PG&E fleet.
Navistar says the vans are the first Class 3 cargo vans in the market initially designed to use electric drive systems instead of being converted from gasoline or diesel truck models. The clean design facilitates mass production and helps hold down assembly costs, according to Navistar.
The trucks, using a chassis designed by British electric-truck maker Modec, will feature a quick-exchange, 80-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems that can deliver up to 100 miles of range and, when the charge is depleted, be switched for a fully charged pack in less than 20 minutes or charged on-board the truck though an integrated battery charger.
The battery will supply power to a 70 kilowatt (102 hp) electric motor that delivers 221-ft.-lb. of torque through a single speed clutchless transmission. Top speed is 50 mph.
FedEx said it expects the vehicles to deliver a full 8-hour local delivery shift on one battery charge.
Electric trucks, which can "idle" for long periods while being loaded and unloaded without burning fuel, creating emissions or causing the noise problems associated with clattering diesel trucks, are increasingly finding favor in large fleets.
Although they typically cost thousands more to acquire than conventionally powered trucks, the can save truck fleet operators money over their operating lives through reduced maintenance, fuel and repair costs.
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