All-electric pickup trucks have been a scorching subject over the previous yr or two. That is not unusual as electrification of the most important section of the automotive market is among the most essential issues to do.
There have been a number of tries to affect pickups prior to now, however we do not have to go all the best way again in time to the Nineteen Nineties to examine one of many first all-electric pickups – just like the Chevrolet S-10 EV and Ford Ranger EV, outfitted with lead-acid or NiMH batteries.
Chevrolet S-10 EV (supply: Wikipedia)
Ford Ranger EV (supply: Wikipedia)
As we speak, we are going to take a journey again into historical past to 2006, when California-based Phoenix Motorcars launched its all-electric sport utility truck “SUT” and sport utility automobile “SUV”.
These had been in all probability the primary electrical pickups with lithium-ion batteries envisioned for sequence manufacturing, however as you possibly can guess, it did not make it.
On the time, Phoenix Motorcars teamed with a promising battery developer Altair Nanotechnologies, which was providing one of many first long-lasting LTO batteries, rated at as much as 20,000 charging cycles. Furthermore, these batteries had been prepared for 10-minute charging! It was a revolutionary answer.
Nevertheless, the LTO batteries had additionally drawbacks – worth and low vitality density (however higher than lead-acid). That is in all probability why they by no means actually took off for vehicles, though they discovered a distinct segment in buses within the following years.
Phoenix Motorcars outfitted the prototype of SUV (transformed from SsangYong pickups) with a 35 kWh pack (there was a 70 kWh choice within the works as nicely) for 130 miles (209 km) of vary. The larger pack was supposed to extend the vary to 250 miles (402 km).
The electrical motors (100 kW peak) can be provided by UQM. For charging, Phoenix Motorcars was focusing on a 6.6 kW on-board charger and 250 kW DC quick chargers (one thing that Tesla was lastly capable of ship greater than 10 years later).
The beginning worth for the SUV was presupposed to be $45,000 (as of 2007), however it was questionable whether or not the corporate would be capable to truly ship the product (a number of thousand in 2008). These had been turbulent occasions, and the corporate filed chapter 11 in April 2009.
The challenge was closed, however after we have a look at the specs, usually it was a transfer in the suitable path. Simply forward of its time.
Phoenix Motorcars SUT goal specs:
- 130 miles (209 km) of vary or 250 miles (402 km) with the larger battery
- 35 kWh battery (70 kWh choice)
- 100 kW electrical motor
- 6.6 kW on-board charger
- as much as 250 kW DC quick charging
As we speak, 14-years later, we’re ready for pickups with 100-200 kWh battery packs and they’re nearer to actuality than ever earlier than.
Let’s check out a few movies with Phoenix Motorcars prototypes (each SUT and SUV) within the early days of YouTube, which lately turned 15 years previous:
