In March 2010, EVI trucks received approval from the California
Air Resources Board - CARB. This is the same CARB that repealed
the Zero Air Vehicle mandate in 2003.
It seems amusing that a huge electric truck would need to parade before
a state board for approval as a zero emissions vehicle. It is a good thing approval was given, since a few months prior, EVI people and the public were on hand to celebrate the opening of EVI Worldwide Headquarters in Stockton, along with Governor Schwarzenegger.
The approval is worth $20,000 US in clean vehicle rebates per truck. That
would make it worth standing in line.
EVI will produce the MD EVI, a medium duty rig. The company has also formed a partnership with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation to produce an electric walk-in van, the WI EVI.
Battery packs for both trucks will be provided by Valence Technologies. Valence manufactures batteries for the Segway, Smith Electric Trucks, Mercedes, and Brammo Motorcycle among other EV companies.
The MD EVI is rated up to 25,950 lbs gross vehicle weight. That's several households of furniture. Range is projected to be 115 miles with a top end at
60 mph. That is good performance for a wide range of hauling chores. Specs for the EVI Medium Duty trucks are here.
The WI EVI uses the same chassis and drive train as the MD EVI. The battery storage system for the van will be configured for three different ranges however.
There is plenty of room for more electric vehicles in the congested and smoggy basins of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento for starters. Replacing diesel polluters with EVI trucks can only help.
EVI will produce 50 delivery vans for UPS to be used in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Stockton areas of the Central Valley, CA. The vans cost about $180,000 US each. UPS will be subsidized up to $50,000 per van by the state, with additional incentives provided by a $1.4 million grant by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
EVI 500 Truck Initiative
EVI hosts a 500 Medium EV Truck Initiative. The plan is to produce and distribute electric trucks made in California to California businesses. The initiative rides on
Governor Jerry Brown's order outlining goals for EV deployment across the Golden State. The new EV Trucks will clean the air over some normally
12 million diesel polluted truck miles.
EVI will supply UPS with 100 EV delivery vans. To meet the production schedule,
EVI expands to a new 30,000 sq ft facility
in Stockton, CA.
EVI will supply the U.S. GSA with four medium duty trucks/vans. The GSA procures over one billion vehicles per year. What a potential market!
