Workhorse Electric Trucks

[Kevin]

Another electric truck in the news. This one is pretty good looking, a whole lot nicer than that Tesla Truck. Apparently it has four electric motors, one at each wheel. It's made in Ohio.
Here's a picture:

and their website:
https://workhorse.com/_test2019/W-15.html
I found out about it through the news about the stock market. Everyone should be happy now about the stock market, yes? A couple months ago, there was a thread about the stock market going down. And it probably will again before this is all over, BUT! In the meantime, it's champagne and chocolate covered strawberries!

But, This company, Workhorse, is making these trucks and the news is, apparently they just passed the government required safety test and have orders with delivery services.

Ford apparently wants to have an electric F150 model as well, so it looks like electric trucks might have a future.

 

[powder smoke]

Read an article about them looks like they'll be dead on delivery! Not bad looking
but has too many drawbacks. Sooner or later they'll get it figured out. My Duramax Diesel will keep me happy! ps

 

[Bull Barrel]

Wow, a whopping 80 miles of range!

Looks like an ugly Silverado made uglier.

 

[Kevin]

My Duramax Diesel will keep me happy!

I don’t think it’s a replacement for a conventional truck. I think an electric vehicle would be a good in town delivery option. Something that goes on the same route each day. Like say those little post office trucks. Something not hauling a lot of weight or pulling a trailer. On a set schedule they could get fully charged each night.

 

[Jeepnik]

I don't know it might appeal to quite a few pickup owners. Don't gasp. Think about just how many pickups you see that have never hauled a stick of lumber or a pair of pliers. Most trucks today are being used as a modern day equivalent of the station wagon. That's why they have gotten bigger with large cabs and more creature comforts. Many of these trucks are only used to pack kids and groceries around.

This think was never designed to haul a load or get dirty. I wonder just how well those wheel located motors are sealed. I imagine a trip or two to a mud hole would spell doom for them. After all they are an all wheel drive vehicle so...

 

[Kevin]

True:
We bought a pick up because the Dodge Ram 1500 has reclining back seats! I'd much rather drive a pick up than a mini-van. But we do use it as a truck from time to time.

 

[Mobuck]

I bet they run quiet and could sneak right up to Bambi. Wonder if they come with optional rifle rests on the window trim?

 

[coach]

It seems to me an 80 mile range is a non-starter.

 

[DeletedMember275]

It seems to me an 80 mile range is a non-starter.

^^This^^. My initial thought was that it might be suitable for use on construction sites and such. Then I realized that the battery would always be nearly dead, because nobody would take the initiative and plug it in to charge at the end of the day. If the capability even exists at the construction site. Then there's cost, which I notice they don't mention. Or how long the battery is expected to last.

The US simply does not have an adequate electrical power grid to support large numbers of electric vehicles at this time. Has anyone heard of plans to perform a massive, decade-long, multi-trillion dollar overhaul of the national power grid? Didn't think so. Think I'll continue to burn dinosaurs.

If I can't drive from SW Arizona into New Mexico on one charge (at highway speeds), I'm not interested.

 

[skeeter]

https://www.atlismotorvehicles.com/

This one looks more promising.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Great for grocery shopping, if you happen to be feeding an army at your house. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[redhawker]

If they ever make a 4x4 (I guess this is though with 4 motors) that can tow 12,000 pounds, has a 500+ mile range and can be recharged in 10 minutes max and has some sort of prevision (solar?) to recharge if it gets low in the middle of nowhere (like carrying a jerry can with a regular truck) which will also recharge in 10 minutes AND costs about the same as a regular truck (not 1 1/2 to 3 times what a regular truck costs) I might be a customer.

 

[WAYNO]

It seems to me an 80 mile range is a non-starter.

^^This^^. My initial thought was that it might be suitable for use on construction sites and such. Then I realized that the battery would always be nearly dead, because nobody would take the initiative and plug it in to charge at the end of the day. If the capability even exists at the construction site. Then there's cost, which I notice they don't mention. Or how long the battery is expected to last.

The US simply does not have an adequate electrical power grid to support large numbers of electric vehicles at this time. Has anyone heard of plans to perform a massive, decade-long, multi-trillion dollar overhaul of the national power grid? Didn't think so. Think I'll continue to burn dinosaurs.

If I can't drive from SW Arizona into New Mexico on one charge (at highway speeds), I'm not interested.

Where I worked for many years, we had a fleet of electric-powered vehicles. The place was a half mile long with many levels that a vehicle could drive to. We used them mainly in maintenance, delivering parts, tools, materials, crews, welding machines and more. Too often they were dead before the end of a shift.

We hated them. Keeping them adequately charged for the burden they were expected to provide, we charged them too often. If we didn't, they would be dead. When we charged them too often, the battery life was shortened.

We had a very large fleet of vehicles of burden. Our auto mechanics spent an inequitable amount of time maintaining electric vehicles, as opposed to the maintenance of our diesel, gasoline and propane powered vehicles.


Further, I don't know the connection, but in one of the local Arby's parking lots, there is a large section dedicated to Tesla charging stations. Any time, day or night, there is a line of Tesla cars, hooked up to the chargers, and a driver and or family waiting in the car. I would hate to be on a family road trip to Wally World, and have to pull over for however-many hours to wait for a fill up.

 

[Goldstar225]

https://www.atlismotorvehicles.com/

This one looks more promising.

Yes it does.

My concern for those with high towing capacities is, how far will the batteries take them with a 70-100% load? I imagine it will be less than half of the stated unladen range.

And as always there is the recharge facilities and recharge time to be concerned with on all electric vehicles.

 

[nvbirdman]

And for hunting, just remember that an eighty mile range means forty there and forty back home.

 

[Poco Oso]

https://www.atlismotorvehicles.com/

This one looks more promising.

That's more like it! Performance, a decent range, quick charge and pretty decent looks.