Voltu Motor delivers electric pickup trucks in California
According to Voltu, its Voltu 3 Pickup Work Truck has a range of 350 kilometres, according to EPA. The fully electric platform uses a 620 hp dual motor and 166 kWh battery pack. The company emphasises that the vehicle’s range is “made possible by Voltu’s proprietary Immerse Cooling Technology, a patented advancement that sets new standards in EV performance, safety, and durability.”
Moreover, or even more importantly, the truck does not need a DC fast-cher to fast-charge. According to Voltu, its “proprietary on-board fast charger uses the vehicle’s motor and power electronics to enable fast charging up to 200 kW from AC three-phase.” It means that the inverter that powers the motor components and windings also acts as the on-board fast-charger. Voltu states that each IPU can fast-charge up to 100 kW from AC sources.
“This unique feature opens a new era in EV charging. Voltu enables fast charging capabilities with its on-board technology and rendering mute all external infrastructure,” the manufacturer states on its website. Sharing energy between Voltu vehicles is also possible, providing even more flexibility for fleets. However, the company does not explain where it expects its clients to charge with that much power. The truck can also be charged using CCS, but the company does not mention a charging capacity.
“Voltu’s proprietary on-board fast charger and advanced powertrain set a new benchmark for the commercial EV market,” said Juan Ignacio Artola, Chief Commercial Officer of Voltu Motor. “By combining cost-efficiency with uncompromising vehicle capability, we’re empowering fleets to adopt zero-emission technology without sacrificing performance or profitability.”
Voltu, initially based in Argentina, set up its global headquarters in Riverside, California. These electric pickups are said to be the first Class 3 electric trucks to be delivered out of Voltu’s new manufacturing site in the California city. The company plans to manufacture 14,000 vehicles during the first three years of operation in Riverside, creating 700 jobs long-term.
Riverside ordered a total of 20 units at the end of last year, which will be used by its utilities, streets and parks departments. As this is the first deployment, the vehicles will be monitored to generate data on performance, charging, and cost-efficiency over a period of six months. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee provided $600,000 in grant funding.
“We have a goal to have zero days of unhealthy air quality and to attain 100% carbon neutral citywide by 2040,” said Rafael Guzman, Assistant City Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer of the City of Riverside. “The deployment of the Voltu Class 3 zero-emission work truck gets us one step closer to our goal and establishes us as a greener and cleaner city and sets an example for the State of California.”
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