Workhorse manufactures electric trucks ranging from its W-15 electric pickup to its medium duty NGEN electric delivery van and its heavy duty EGEN electric cargo van. But all those trucks aren’t much good to anyone if they can’t be recharged conveniently.
To simplify the charging experience for its customers, Workhorse has formed a strategic alliance with Duke Energy to provide sustainable and cost-effective electric-mobility solutions to the transportation sector, according to an April 4 press release. The two companies will work together to develop the EV charging infrastructure that will be needed for current and future customers who purchase Workhorse electric vehicles.
The range of options for the companies include single-point management and financing of all the behind the meter infrastructure needed to support depot-wide electrification, vehicle financing/battery management programs, solar and energy storage and other distributed energy resources.
Workhorse believes these eFleet solutions will help reduce the overall costs of fleet electrification and accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles into commercial and government fleets. By creating this alliance, Workhorse and Duke Energy will work to reduce the risk and complexity of placing significant orders for Workhorse vehicles and the scaling up of related EV infrastructure.
“We are pleased with this significant step in deepening our relationship with Duke Energy,” said Duane Hughes, CEO of Workhorse. “Changing the way the world works requires partnerships and collaboration, as we need teams of people and companies to work together to achieve this goal.
“We believe this relationship between Workhorse and Duke Energy will allow our current and future commercial and government customers to more readily adapt fleet electrification plans offering a seamless electrification strategy through the Workhorse/Duke Energy partnership that will be second to none when customers are evaluating EV solutions.”
60 NGEN Electric Vans For DHL
Recently, Workhorse signed an agreement with DHL, one of the world’s largest parcel delivery services, for the delivery of 60 NGEN electric vans. 30 will be utilized in and around San Francisco, with the other 30 spread among DHL’s delivery centers across the US. DHL is owned by Deutsche Post, the company that is building the StreetScooter line of electric delivery trucks for the European market.
If the Workhorse NGEN van is good enough for DHL, which knows a thing or two about delivery trucks, that is a pretty good endorsement of Workhorse’s products and will help convince other companies to consider Workhorse for their own zero emissions delivery needs.
Workhorse has partnered with Ryder Systems, which maintains thousands of dedicated service locations nationwide, to be its exclusive agent for warranty, maintenance, and repair services for its electric vehicles.
Great products backed by great service and comprehensive support for charging infrastructure and financing place Workhorse at the forefront of the electric truck industry. Other manufacturers are talking the electric truck talk but Workhorse is one of the few that is actually walking the walk. 2019 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the company as production of its W-15 electric pickup truck is scheduled to begin within the next 9 to 12 months.