U.S. rental truck firm Ryder makes first big electric van order

FDG Electric Vehicles

02/11/2017 15:00

By Nick Carey 
    DETROIT, Nov 2 (Reuters) - U.S. truck leasing and rental 
company Ryder Systems Inc  R.N  said on Thursday it will order 
125 all-electric delivery vans from Chanje, one of the first big 
purchases made in the still nascent electric truck industry. 
    Los Angeles-based electric vehicle startup Chanje's main 
investor is FDG Electric Vehicles Ltd  0729.HK , which sells the 
same delivery van in China under the brand name Changjiang. 
    Ryder announced in August it would become the exclusive U.S. 
sales and lease partner for Chanje, pronounced "change." 
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1L04JP  
    The market for electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which 
are still limited in the distance they can travel before 
recharging, is in its infancy. 
    Vehicle manufacturers such as Daimler AG  AIGn.DE  and 
Navistar International Corp  NAV.N , as well as Tesla Inc 
 TSLA.O  and a host of other new entrants, are racing to 
overcome the challenges of substituting batteries for diesel 
engines as regulators crack down on carbon dioxide and soot 
pollution.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1LA0XJ 
    Daimler said last month that United Parcel Service Inc 
 UPS.N  will be the first U.S. commercial customer for its new 
battery-powered eCanter truck, and the company will expand its 
electric truck production as lower cost, longer-range batteries 
become available within two to three years.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1LV11Y 
    As delivery vans or trucks tend to run on short, predictable 
routes, especially in urban environments, vehicle makers see 
them as a prime target for electrification.  
    The Chanje delivery vehicle ordered by Ryder is a 
medium-duty truck equipped to haul up to 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg) 
and up to 580 cubic feet (16 cubic meters) of cargo, with zero 
tailpipe emissions and a range of 100 miles (161 km).  
    Chanje Chief Executive Officer Bryan Hansel said FDG has 
spent five years and $1 billion developing the vehicle and has 
annual production capacity of 100,000 units from its factory in 
China.  
    Chris Nordh, Ryder's director of advanced vehicle 
technology, said that by handling the charging infrastructure 
and servicing of leased Chanje vehicles, the Miami-based leasing 
firm will help acclimatize and familiarize customers with 
all-battery delivery trucks. 
    "We're acting as a springboard for Chanje to become 
widespread across the U.S. very quickly," Nordh said. 
    Ryder announced earlier this year it would be the strategic 
service partner for Cincinnati-based electric delivery vehicle 
and drone maker Workhorse Group Inc  WKHS.O . 
     
 
 (Reporting By Nick Carey, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) 
 ((nick.carey@thomsonreuters.com; +1 312 636 8837;)) 
 
Keywords: RYDER CHANJE/VANS