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from the don't-look-a-workhorse-in-the-grille dept.
Submitted via IRC for Bytram
New 100-mile electric van matches diesel vans on price, Workhorse says
Electric-vehicle maker Workhorse announced today that it has begun initial production of a 100-mile range electric delivery truck called the NGEN-1000. The truck is meant to replace diesel-powered delivery trucks, but this vehicle weighs less than half of what a comparable internal combustion van usually weighs.
In a press release, Workhorse said that it "believes this weight reduction, coupled with the 100-mile range, will have cost-savings implications that will make the EV alternative to traditional fleet delivery vehicles all the more appealing."
Workhorse CEO Stephen S. Burns added that the van would have "an off-the-lot cost on par with traditional fuel delivery vehicles, and substantial savings from there."
The truck will come in four sizes, up to a maximum of 1,000 cubic feet of storage. It also has all-wheel-drive and a 6,000-pound carrying capacity.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by qzm on Friday October 19 2018, @06:14AM (10 children)
It's a Damn delivery van.
Care to guess how much they average in a day?
You know, vehicles often on the road 12 to 14 hours a day with shift drivers?
More to the point, half the weight of a normal van? Batteries don't make things lighter, and the motors are not much less, so I am guessing they have hugely compromised the structural integrity. I would imagine they will fall apart in a small fraction of the half million miles a normal devilry van does...
Still, a few companies will buy them for certain specific markets in an attempt to Greenwash themselves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @06:25AM
If these are used in-city, and the driver is unloading at each stop, 100 miles could be enough.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @06:26AM
You should look at the picture in the article, looks like the van is made of fibreglass and plastic. This thing won't even stand strong gusts of wind.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bradley13 on Friday October 19 2018, @07:09AM (4 children)
"It's a Damn delivery van. Care to guess how much they average in a day? You know, vehicles often on the road 12 to 14 hours a day with shift drivers?"
Exactly. A 100-mile range is just laughable for your typical delivery van. There is exactly one use case that makes sense: a delivery vehicle that has many, many stops very close together. I can see this as a postal delivery vehicle. Anything else - even UPS, which has ordered some vehicles to test - the 100-mile range is just too short...
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 5, Informative) by MostCynical on Friday October 19 2018, @07:28AM
https://www.quora.com/How-many-miles-per-day-does-a-FedEx-or-UPS-driver-drive-on-average [quora.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @07:50AM
(Score: 4, Informative) by Unixnut on Friday October 19 2018, @09:15AM (1 child)
The UK Has used BEV for residential deliveries for milk since the 1960s. Lots of stop and go deliveries, within a small area, with the benefits of silent running (because milk deliveries tended to be early in the morning).
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_float [wikipedia.org]
So this BE van has potential, it might actually be one of the more sane applications of electric vehicles I have heard of so far. This isn't going to be hauling stuff between towns or out in the country, but for last mile deliveries in dense urban neighbourhoods, it might actually make sense.
However, one thing not mentioned in TFS: is the 100 mile range when empty? or when fully laiden? If it is the range when empty, what is the range when you load up the van and use it as a van should be used? Also, what is the recharge to full time? A normal van can do a round, get a fuel refill in 10 min, and be out again on another route.
IMO this kind of vehicle would be perfectly suited to a battery swap system, as there is likely to be a fleet of identical vans owned by a company, with hangers and maintenance crew taking care of them. They buy 2x as many batteries as vans, then they can have two rounds between having to wait for recharging. Although I can't see how it would be cheaper than the current diesel systems.
(Score: 2) by DavePolaschek on Friday October 19 2018, @01:52PM
They could use it to deliver newspapers instead of having some guy driving around in a rusted out 1976 Lincoln Town Coupe!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @09:18AM (2 children)
Half the weight of a normal van seems unlikely to me.
Years ago I had a "12 foot" International Metro (step van) that had originally been a bread delivery truck. There was 12 feet (~3.7m) of floor length behind the driver, general shape looked like the one in the link. The body was all steel and the walls were double thick, inner and outer layers of fairly thin steel, welded with internal ribs. It had a very "agricultural" 220 cu. in. (3.6L) 6 cylinder engine and a top speed around 60 mph (faster and more exciting downhill). Weight on truck scales was 6000 lbs (2700Kg). I really doubt that this electric van can weigh 3000 lbs--which would be less than all but the smallest cars sold in USA at this time.
There were aluminum body versions that looked very similar, since the running gear and frame stayed about the same the weight savings was only on the body parts. Not sure, but an equivalent step van might be 1000 lbs lighter in aluminum. While aluminum is ~1/3 the weight of steel by volume, it is also about 1/3 as stiff, so body panels have to be a little thicker to replace steel.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @09:30AM (1 child)
They made the van out of plastic, so much lighter than steel (or aluminum). Probably the only metal bits are the batteries, motors and electronics.
(Score: 1) by Goghit on Friday October 19 2018, @02:50PM
I doubt they're hanging 3 tons of cargo and a heavy battery pack off aluminum or plastic - there's steel in there somewhere. Agree with the commentor upstream that "half the weight of a conventional van" is bullshit. Or the capacity is bullshit. As we're living in an age of bullshit, truly a vehicle for our time.