The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/307131
new financial backing and resumption of produc- tion. Assembly will be more efficient and a Genera- tion III design will improve the trucks. Plans for other plants that will support municipally backed acquisitions in Chicago and New York City are like- wise on hold, but will eventually open, he said. Fleets that are using EVs are usually enthusiastic about them, for several reasons: low operating costs, ability to run into closed loading/unloading areas, and the "green" image, which resonates with many customers. EVs are ideal for city deliveries, managers say, and their batteries are easily recharged while the trucks are parked overnight. Bosses also relate that drivers love them because they're quiet and relaxing to drive and they're fast. Fast is what I've found with almost every electric truck I've driven. Here are two more, sampled during the National Truck Equipment As- sociation's Work Truck Show in March. Zenith Electric Cargo Van Think the Zenith looks like a new Fiat-based Ram ProMaster cargo van? That's because it is a ProMaster, con- verted to electric drive. Zenith Motors, located in northern Kentucky across the river from Cincinnati, acquires the trucks from Chrysler, pulls out their gasoline powertrains and installs its own electric drivetrain. A Zenith remains front-wheel drive and retains the low floor and wide doors that make the ProMaster easy to load and unload. The van displayed at the NTEA show was a 250 model with a 2,500-pound payload capacity (a 350 model with a 3,000-pound capacity also is available, as is a passenger version). Most interior appointments and controls are as Ram designed and made them, except Zenith yanked out a stubby shift lever from the dashboard and replaced it with a panel of pushbuttons labeled P, R, N and D. Push D for Drive and hang on, because the 180-horsepower, 250-pound-foot motor sets the truck into motion right away. There was a soft whirring as we accelerated and a quieter hum when I backed my foot from the go-pedal and regeneration began. This of www.truckinginfo.com MAY 2014 • HDT 29 FuelSmarts Save money with Goodyear's enhanced fuel-efficient tires for steer, drive or trail positions. With a complete lineup of SmartWay®-verified tires, you can lower your costs without sacrificing long mileage. Goodyear Fuel Max Technology is available for long haul, regional and wide base tires, including: • G399 A LHS Fuel Max • G572 A LHD Fuel Max • G305® AT LHD™ Fuel Max® • G572 1AD Fuel Max™ • G316® LHT™ Fuel Max® • G394 SST® DuraSeal + Fuel Max™ • G392 A SSD DuraSeal + Fuel Max • G662® RSA™ Fuel Max® To see which Fuel Max tire is right for you, call your Goodyear Dealer, or visit goodyeartrucktires.com. GOODYEAR ® FUEL MAX ® TECHNOLOGY Circle 116 on Reader Action Card The big limitation with electric trucks is range, which is restricted by battery capacity. F u e l s m a r t s _ M a y . i n d d 2 9 Fuel smarts_May.indd 29 4 / 3 0 / 1 4 1 2 : 4 8 P M 4/30/14 12:48 PM