US startup adds another 2,000 electric trucks to FedEx fleet

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America certainly looks foolish now that an ill-advised change in federal policy tanked the electric vehicle market, just in time for the price of gasoline and diesel to skyrocket. Catching up on the path of global electrification will be a difficult task to overcome. However, the high cost of fuel is supporting a new wave of interest in electric vehicles, with electric trucks being an area of ​​particular focus. After all, while individual drivers may have options (public transportation, rideshare, bicycles, etc.), work vehicles must continue to operate.

America looks dumb now

The damage to electric vehicle sales in the United States became clearly evident within weeks of September 30 of last year, which was the deadline for the $7,500 federal tax credit. In short, they fell off a cliff.

For people who care about such things, the decline in electric vehicle sales also upset the country’s reputation as the epicenter of global automotive innovation. The United States was already ceding EV ground to China before the tax credit ended, and the sharp U-turn in U.S. energy policy didn’t help.

On the first anniversary of the end of the federal electric vehicle tax credit, Technical Cleaning He took a look at the breakneck pace of EV sales in other markets and invited readers to assess the situation, asking: “Is the United States going to end DEAD Last in vehicle electrification?”

Among the responses there was a somewhat mixed opinion of “Scott”:

“The real damage, in my opinion, will not be a delay by the American consumer in adopting electric vehicles because I am convinced that will happen eventually. The damage done will be on the production floor. American automakers will suffer and potentially perish…”

“Torpedo” gave a somewhat less measured response (pauses were added for easier reading):

“The US administration is not preparing for an OIL SHORTAGE.

There should be no tariffs on electric vehicles at this time.

THERE SHOULD BE AN INCENTIVE FOR 11000 ELECTRIC TRUCKS…”

Here come the electric trucks

Although they differ in tone, the two comments represent a general consensus. Demand for electric vehicles will almost certainly recover in the United States, but those vehicles will not necessarily be manufactured in the United States.

It may be so. However, some automakers are working to bring back domestic production. General Motors, for example, is moving forward with plans to produce new LMR (lithium manganese rich) battery cells in the United States, with a view to ensuring a domestic supply of low-cost, high-performance batteries for its future electric vehicles. Ford is also contributing to the effort with its comprehensive “Universal EV” platform. Ford has been diligently updating the public about its upcoming Fathom mid-size electric pickup truck, which will be the first electric vehicle to showcase the company’s new “universal EV” cost-cutting assembly process.

And, of course, there is Tesla. Regardless of the reputational baggage that Tesla CEO Elon Musk carries with him, Tesla remains the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the United States. With the official launch of the Tesla Semi, the company aims to also dominate the field of Class 8 electric trucks.

After years of delay, on September 26, Tesla finally held an opening ceremony to mark the start of volume production at the new Semi factory in Sparks, Nevada, with a planned production of 50,000 trucks per year.

Whether or not Tesla achieves that mark remains to be seen, but the company is off to a strong start with a landmark order for 2,500 electric trucks through transportation industry collective ZET SCALE. Known for short as Alliance, the collective offers a suite of services related to electric vehicles. Topping the list, the Alliance adds demand for electric trucks among its members, such as Microsoft and PepsiCo, with the goal of taking advantage of volume discounts and access to infrastructure.

“Rather than asking individual companies to navigate the transition alone, ZET SCALE aligns the entire value chain, unlocking better vehicle pricing, innovative financing, coordinated charging infrastructure and freight demand that helps make zero-emission road transport commercially viable,” the Alliance explains.

The Alliance prequalifies truck manufacturers, saving its members the time and expense of conducting their own research with each purchase. “After evaluating price, range, cargo capacity and production capacity, the Alliance selected Tesla as its primary original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the initial 2,500 trucks,” notes the organization Catalyst Mobility (formerly CalStart), which is the Alliance’s primary partner.

2,000 more electric trucks for the US

The Alliance is especially excited about the fact that the one-time order of 2,500 trucks will nearly double the number of Class 8 electric trucks already on the road. The new order also puts the Alliance on track to achieve its initial goal of 10,000 electric trucks.

That’s all well and good, except for the other 4 million Class 8 trucks on the road chewing up gallon after gallon of diesel fuel. Four million is a widely cited estimate of the number of Class 8 trucks in the United States. If you have another figure, leave a note in the discussion thread.

They’re just Class 8 pickups. Then there are the millions of lighter trucks and vans that burn diesel. Tesla has yet to turn its attention to the truck class scale, with the exception of the much-maligned Cybertruck, but other automakers have, and that brings us to FedEx.

On September 30, California startup Harbinger Motors announced that FedEx had ordered 2,000 of its 100% electric trucks, making it one of the largest single orders for medium- or heavy-duty electric trucks ever recorded. It could be said that the order even exceeds the Alliance’s contract for 2,500 trucks, which applies to the members of the consortium and not only to one company.

It won’t be long before the rubber hits the road. Harbinger expects all 2,000 trucks to arrive in FedEx’s North American pickup and delivery fleet before the sun sets in 2027. The company has already been preparing for that to happen (see more background on Harbinger’s electric trucks here).

According to Harbinger, FedEx does not plan to include the new electric vehicles in its existing fleet. The plan is to retire fossil fuel-powered counterparts one by one.

Harbinger hasn’t released full details about the trucks yet, but in a press release the company said it covers medium-sized Class 5 and 6 vehicles. The new electric trucks are expected to reach a 20-year lifespan, similar to that of conventional Class 5 and 6 trucks, but with one key difference. Harbinger estimates the total fuel savings over 20 years from the FedEx order will be more than $800 million.

Made in the USA

Rounding out the work vehicle electrification picture in the US is Detroit-based Workhorse Group, which just announced a new order for 200 W56 electric vans from California-based electric vehicle supplier Gateway Fleets. Like Harbinger, Workhorse is focused on electric vehicle markets underserved by Tesla, including box trucks and refrigerated trucks, among others.

“All W56 models are produced at Workhorse’s commercial-scale manufacturing facility in Union City, Indiana, which is capable of producing up to more than 5,000 vehicles per year on a standard operating shift,” Workhorse notes.

There’s a lot more where that came from. As fuel prices continue to rise, keep an eye on other startups, as well as Mack Truck, Peterbilt (part of the PACCAR family), and other traditional truck makers, for signs of a revival of electric vehicle manufacturing in the US.

Photo: FedEx just ordered 2,000 electric trucks from California startup Harbinger, in yet another indication that the vehicle electrification movement in the US is still alive and well (courtesy of Harbinger).