Penske, Roush CleanTech, Proterra Announce F-650 Electric Commercial Trucks

Roush CleanTech, Penske Truck Leasing and Proterra have announced a new collaboration under which Proterra will supply its battery technology to Roush CleanTech for the development of its next-generation Ford F-650 all-electric commercial truck.

Roush CleanTech will integrate its advanced clean technology and control systems to leverage Ford’s medium-duty chassis and Proterra’s battery technology to Penske Truck Leasing, which will be the first customer for this next-generation product. In addition, the three companies will collaborate on continued fleet electrification, including charging and an ecosystem of solutions that will make the transition to electric more seamless for fleets.

The all-electric Roush CleanTech Ford F-650 is a Class 6 commercial electric vehicle available in several configurations including utility trucks, shuttle buses, and box trucks.

Built on the Ford’s 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. Roush CleanTech expects to deliver the next-generation Ford F-650 in Q2 of 2023 to Penske Truck Leasing.

“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, in a press release. “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.”

Roush CleanTech’s expertise in electrification includes production design, functional performance validation, compliance testing, assembly set up, and vehicle second-stage manufacturing. The company 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, according to the announcement.

“We plan to deploy and operate these vehicles in multiple markets," said Paul Rosa, senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning at Penske Truck Leasing.

Penske has been operating, supporting, and maintaining alternative-fueled vehicle fleets for more than 30 years, including commercial electric vehicles for a decade. 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.

Proterra Powered leverages Proterra’s electric vehicle technology and expertise to help commercial vehicle manufacturers electrify their vehicles. Designed and manufactured in the U.S., Proterra battery packs leverage energy density and a customizable design to fit within a variety of vehicles.

Proterra’s battery systems have been proven in more than 20 million service miles driven by Proterra transit vehicles and validated through collaborations with commercial vehicle manufacturers to power delivery trucks, electric school buses, coach buses, low-floor cutaway shuttle buses, and construction equipment, according to the company.

Originally posted on Work Truck Online