LOUISVILLE. Electric Vehicles International (EVI) introduced its full-electric (EV) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) at the Mid-America Trucking Show. The Class 3-6 trucks are assembled from glider kits equipped with a customizable EVI hybrid or all-electric powertrain.
According to the company, trucks can be ready for delivery within 60 days of order. “What we are really selling is a customized powertrain,” said Art Robins, vp of U.S. operations. “With our customizable EV and HEV products ready to deliver to customers within 60 days combined with recently passed federal and state tax incentives, we believe that EVI is in an excellent position to help electrify America’s trucking fleets.”
In addition to the two commercial truck models, dubbed the eviLightTruck and the eviRoute 1500, the company also offers its drivetrains, which can be used to retrofit existing vehicles, as well as engineering services such as conversion of combustion engine vehicles to HEVs.
All of the vehicles are “road ready,” noted Robins, and meet the requirements of DOT’s Title 49 regulating the manufacture of vehicles. EVI motors and controllers are built in the U.S. and the trucks’ lithium phosphate batteries are supplied by Valence Technology.
The purchase price for its Class 3 to 4 trucks ranges from $55,000 to $65,000, according to Robins, exclusive of the batteries, which customers lease separately for about $1,300 a month. There are state and federal rebates available that apply to the EVI trucks, he said.
“We have a little over 2,000 vehicles on the road now,” Robins said, noting that UPS is currently testing a vehicle in Mexico.
