Meritor, Inc. announces it has entered into an agreement with PACCAR to be its non-exclusive supplier of electric powertrains for its Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579EV and 520EV battery-electric vehicles.
Meritor will be the initial launch partner and primary supplier for the integration of functional battery-electric systems on these refuse and heavy-duty chassis. Production is targeted to begin in early 2021.
"The opportunity to equip Kenworth and Peterbilt battery-electric vehicles with Meritor's products allows us to partner with a valued customer and to continue bringing advanced technologies to market," says T.J. Reed, Vice President of Global Electrification for Meritor. "We look forward to delivering on our goal to be the premier supplier of electrification technologies for commercial vehicles."
This award further establishes the value of Meritor's Blue Horizon™ brand, which represents the company's emerging platform of advanced technologies centered on electrification.
“Peterbilt is leading the charge when it comes to electrification and this agreement with Meritor is just another example of our commitment to battery electric vehicles. With this announcement, we have locked in suppliers for all of our battery-electric model configurations,” says Jason Skoog, PACCAR Vice President and Peterbilt General Manager.
Low volume production will begin in late 2020 for the Model 579EV, followed by the Model 520EV in 2021.