(Credit: Penske)Three leaders in commercial fleet electrification -- Penske Truck Leasing (PTL), Roush CleanTech and Proterra -- have announced a partnership to develop the all-electric Ford F-650, a purpose-built Class 6 commercial EV that is available in several configurations including utility trucks, shuttle buses, and box trucks. The F-650 is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2023.
The companies will also collaborate on continued fleet electrification, including charging and an ecosystem of solutions that will make the transition to electric more seamless for fleets.
Built on Ford’s industry leading F-650 chassis, the vehicle will be equipped with Proterra’s H Series battery systems. Ideal for packaging between frame rails, the Proterra H Series battery system powering the F-650 can provide 165 kilowatt hours of energy to deliver an estimated 125 miles of vehicle range on a single charge, while supporting an available payload of nearly 8,500 lbs.
Penske has been operating, supporting and maintaining alternative-fueled vehicle fleets for more than 30 years. In addition to the next-generation F-650, Penske has introduced light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles to its fleet along with its own heavy-duty EV charging networks.
Additionally, Penske is supporting original research that can help transportation leaders make informed choices about the future of their fleets, including the annual State of Sustainable Fleets report, which identifies key trends and performance metrics that are accelerating the adoption of sustainable vehicles in the U.S. on-road transportation industry.
ROUSH CleanTech is backed by decades of advanced vehicle engineering controls and integration experience including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell from parent company, Roush Enterprises. ROUSH CleanTech has deployed more than 37,000 advanced clean technology vehicles since 2010 that have accumulated more than 2 billion miles with more than 3,000 commercial, school bus, and public transit fleets.
“The goal of the ROUSH CleanTech, Proterra, and Penske collaboration is to remove any and all barriers to help fleets transition to a cleaner future,” said Todd Mouw, president of ROUSH CleanTech. “It’s clear the market is looking for trusted brands like ours to develop innovative technologies while also supporting the entire lifecycle — from vehicle design and development, to infrastructure assistance, after-sales customer support, and more.”
