Workhorse Electric Truck (with Range Extender) Has Stunning Specs

Originally published on Gas2.

A representative from Workhorse reached out to Gas2 and CleanTechnica this morning via email to share some preliminary specifications for its upcoming W-15, which it believes is the first plug-in, range-extended pickup truck built from the ground up by an original equipment manufacturer. The Workhorse W-15 electric truck is specifically designed to meet the needs of commercial fleet operators. The representative also forwarded two photos of the chassis without the bodywork.

The Workhorse W-15 is scheduled to be revealed for the first time to the public in early May. Here’s some of the information we have been waiting patiently for about this groundbreaking new plug-in hybrid electric truck:

⊕ 75 MPGe fuel efficiency in all-electric operation

⊕ 80-mile all-electric range

⊕ Gasoline-powered range extender

⊕ 460 horsepower

⊕ 0–60 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds

⊕ True all-wheel drive with dual electric motors

⊕ Collision avoidance features including

o Automatic braking

o Lane-departure warning

⊕ Composite body with carbon fiber

⊕ Double cab

⊕ Standard bed configuration

⊕ 7.2 kw power export that allows tools to be plugged directly into the battery power source without the truck running

The company claims it has 1,000 orders for the W-15 electric truck from such companies as Clean Fuels Ohio, Duke Energy, Portland General Electric, the City of Orlando, and the Southern California Public Power Authority. Workhorse says its factory in Union City, Ohio, will have a capacity of 60,000 units a year. The suggested retail price will be $52,500.

The W-15 will be the “safest pickup ever built,” the company says. The weight of the batteries will be carried low in the chassis for excellent stability. It will feature a ladder-type frame made of stainless steel. In addition to standard electronic stability control, it will have larger than normal crumple zones and the body will be made of composite panels that don’t dent or rust.

The communication from Workhorse doesn’t tell us what the range extender engine will be. Workhorse uses the 2 cylinder engine that BMW uses for its i3 REx in the hybrid parcel delivery vans it makes for UPS, but there is a possibility the company will use a 4 cylinder engine in the W-15 to improve cargo and towing capacity. We will find out more on May 2.

Also see: Electric Truck Overview — Electric Light-Duty Trucks, Medium-Duty Trucks, & Heavy-Duty Trucks