Workhorse unveils concept for electric pickup truck, aims to be first plug-in pickup to market in 2018

Workhorse, an electric fleet vehicle startup that delivered a fleet of 125 hybrid electric delivery vans to UPS (which recently ordered 200 more), announced this week that it is started development of an electric PHEV pickup truck built on its own platform.

The company sets the goal to be the first to market with a plug-in electric pickup truck in 2018.

Steve Burns, Workhorse CEO, commented in a press release about the announcement:

“We believe this will be the first plug-in range-extended electric pickup truck built from the ground up by an OEM in America. It’s not a conversion vehicle. We feel the extended range capability from the combination of Panasonic batteries and an on-board generator, will deliver the performance that fleet managers expect from a work truck.”

The pickup is being developed on an extended version of the company’s current Workhorse W-15 light duty platform.

The company is aiming for an all-electric range of 80 miles with a battery pack powered with off the shelves 18650 Panasonic li-ion battery cells. The vehicle will also be equipped with a gas-powered range extender to travel longer distances.

It will be equipped with dual motors for all-wheel drive. Here’s a quick look at the chassis and electric powertrain:

Workhorse expects to be able to seat 5 people while offering storage space not only with the bed but also with a front trunk (frunk).

The company is still looking at the fleet vehicle market for the truck and claims to have received “non-binding letters of interest from Duke Energy as well as the City of Orlando municipal fleet” for the vehicle. No plans for direct consumer release have been announced.

Here are the specifications released by the company: