Major corporations have added the largest road-going electric truck to their fleets. The new Smith Newton electric delivery trucks are made by Smith Electric Vehicles, a U.K.-based firm.
At a ceremony at Capitol Hill, the keys to the trucks were handed over to:
• Pacific Gas and Electric Company
• Coca-Cola
• Staples
• Frito-Lay
• AT&T
• Kansas City Power & Light
The vehicle is powered by the lithium-Ion batteries and a 120kw electric motor, and it has a top speed of 50 miles per hour and a range in excess of 100 miles on a full charge. It can be recharged in six hours, according to a press release.
In the U.S., the vehicles are produced by Smith Electric Vehicles US, based in Kansas City, Mo. Three models are produced with gross vehicle weights of 7,500 kg, 10,000 kg and 12,000 kg, providing a payload of up to 7,300 kg.
The vehicle's on-board battery charger can be recharged at most commercial or industrial buildings.
