Orange EV announces a number of milestones achieved by its deployed fleet of heavy-duty electric trucks. The firm continues to be recognized for the success of its T-Series electric terminal trucks, the first commercially-deployed Class 8 trucks that are 100% electric. These milestones showing the strength of Orange EV’s team and electric terminal truck solution include:
- Orange EV’s commercially deployed fleet surpassed 50,000 “key on” hours and 110,000 miles. The hours are accumulating quickly, expected to exceed 60,000 hours by mid-June. These milestones are particularly noteworthy since terminal trucks (aka hostlers, spotters, yard trucks) operate at lower speeds of typically less than 25 miles per hour within the yards of railroad intermodal facilities, distribution centers, manufacturing plants, waste transfer stations, warehouses and a range of other logistics hubs for container/trailer handling. Passenger cars used 10 hours per week for commute and errands could take almost 100 years to reach 50,000 hours.
- Fleets are demonstrating endurance and value. To illustrate what’s already in use and a good example of many sites with terminal trucks, a busy break-bulk operation is consistently running Orange EV’s extended-duty trucks with standard charging 400+ hours per month at a run rate of 5,000 hours per year. Orange EV’s standard charging comes included at no extra cost; thus far all sites deploying Orange EV trucks with standard charging simply extended existing site electrical service to where trucks would be parked and charged. Fast charging is also available and deployed at heavier use sites to enable even greater usage. Moderate use sites can save more than $30,000 per truck annually in fuel, maintenance, and emission control related costs; heavier-use sites can save up to $60,000 per truck per year. Add the harder-to-quantify costs and savings can increase further.
- Seventy five percent (75%) of fleets have re-ordered within 6 months of getting their first Orange EV trucks, and many are already reference customers. The operational experience and feedback from Orange EV’s fleet customers have enabled Orange EV to learn and harden its electric truck solution and operating model. This real-world customer experience has resulted in fleets like this leading rail intermodal yard operator re-ordering and growing their deployments to other network sites.
Not only are Orange EV electric terminal trucks deployed from California to New York, they are receiving strong public reviews. According to this 2016 drive-test review from HDT Trucking Info “There’s no arguing with the utility of an electric terminal tractor. Gone are all the usual concerns about EV range. These trucks are almost exactly the same truck you are currently using except for the powertrain, so there’s little transition anxiety. They are as capable as any diesel-powered hostler, and for the environmentally conscious, they produce zero on-site emissions.”
Orange EV electric terminal trucks do the same work fleet owners expect but with no diesel fuel, no emissions, reduced operating costs, and an improved driver experience that is cooler, smoother, quieter, and cleaner. From single shift to 24x7 operations, Orange EV electric terminal trucks are operating up to 24+ hours per charge.
Because total cost of ownership is often less than that of a diesel, fleets can deploy Orange EV’s electric trucks without incentives using existing capital and expense budgets. With discounts and grants, however, fleets can renew fleet assets and minimize annual operating costs at greatly reduced capital investment. Current incentive programs can save fleets up to 85% per truck in purchase price. Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Fund grants are expected to be announced by year-end which in every state could pay up to 75% of project costs.
Orange EV provides fleets with a 100% electric, no-diesel, no-emission alternative that’s commercially deployed and proven. Fleets should contact Orange EV to learn more about saving money with a better truck.
