Ryder announced that customers will be able to lease or short-term rent the C-Series Workhorse all-electric step van, which could be a big first step for fleets seeking to electrify their last-mile assets.
The C-1000 will be first made available in California this month through Ryder’s COOP peer-to-peer truck sharing platform. The C-1000 has 1,000 cubic feet of space and weighs 13,000 pounds fully loaded. Workhorse used a composite frame that is lighter than aluminum, which allows for a 100-mile range. Other features include a low-floor platform for easier ingress and egress, as well as the Metron telematics system.
Longer term leases will be arranged through Ryder’s ChoiceLease and SelectCare. California will be the starting spot as Ryder has charging networks at 11 of its facilities in the Golden State. The two in Fontana and Northridge feature ABB’s DC fast charging stations.
Even though charging infrastructure is still not fully mature, Ryder wants customers to start experiencing the advantages and pain points of electric vehicles as soon as possible.
"We see immediate opportunities for customers to realize the benefits of our electric vehicles and turnkey infrastructure model, starting with the Workhorse C-Series van, as it fulfills a huge need in this new economy where demand for electric last-mile delivery vehicles continues to increase," said Chris Nordh, Senior Director – Advanced Vehicle Technology & Energy Products, Ryder System, Inc. "COOP is the perfect launch platform for new technology vehicles such as the Workhorse C-Series electric van as it provides customers the ability to try the vehicles in various markets without any long-term commitment. Our customers have already expressed a strong interest in Workhorse's vehicles, and we are excited to bring this program forward."
With a just added $70 million in investment, Workhorse now has "almost $110 million of cash to support our accelerated production efforts and working capital needs," said Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes.
"We have delivered their first two C-1000s and are very excited to partner with them in offering our electric C-Series vehicles to their customers across the country,” said Hughes of the Ryder partnership. “We are confident that we will be seeing new orders soon once their customers see the revolutionary nature of our products are and how accessible they are through Ryder."
Hughes also added Workhorse is the that due to a recent certification by the California Air Resources Board, Workhorse is the "only fully permitted, last-mile EV OEM with outstanding sales orders currently building vehicles for commercial use across the country."
One reason to get an early jump on electrification: Last mile electrification is inevitable. Emissions regulations are getting tighter and low-emission zones may become common. Also, the total cost of ownership could soon rival that of diesel and gasoline. A 2019 Business Insider report found that the last mile, or final leg of the delivery process, can comprise 53% of the total shipping cost, and a big selling point on electric vehicles is less maintenance due to fewer moving parts.
Because of this, fleets who wish to stay competitive tomorrow must understand the challenges of electric trucks as early as possible.
In its report in medium-duty electric truck ownership, the North American Council on Freight Efficiency stated: Fleets choosing electric trucks today will get on the learning curve ahead of those that wait. Early adopters will expose flaws and omissions that OEMs will correct. They will validate or dismiss CBEV claims. They will also learn how to optimize their operations to make the most of electric vehicles for improving their company’s bottom line financials.
