Photo: Ayro
From everyday deliveries, moving goods, and city-hauling to industrial and agricultural jobs, mini-trucks can support a multitude of uses and applications, and that's why the world - the US in particular - needs more of them.
Texas-based automaker Ayro has identified this void in the market and developed a solution to address it, which is now a step closer to release. Their solution, an electric mini-truck called Ayro Vanish, has just completed homologation to receive street-legal certifications for the US and Canada.
Centered around innovation and sustainability, the Ayro Vanish is a groundbreaking mini-truck that falls into the low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV) category and was designed to alter the landscape of delivery and distribution. For those not familiar with the term, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines LSEVs as four-wheeled motor vehicles with a gross weight lower than 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg) and a top speed that does not exceed 25 miles per hour (40 kph).
The Vanish is basically a vehicle smaller than a full-size truck but larger than a utility vehicle. It comes with a lightweight architecture that helps reduce vehicle weight and maximize payload, while its modular design will allow for various configurations, hence the possibility of using it for various utility tasks.
In the United States, the Ayro Vanish underwent a rigorous homologation process in alignment with the LSV standards set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, as mandated by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The new vehicle was subjected to similar tests in Canada to ensure it not only meets but also exceeds the stringent vehicle regulations stipulated in the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Successfully passing these tests marks an important milestone for the new mini-truck as Ayro is getting ready for imminent deliveries. As the company's CEO Tom Wittenschlaeger explains, "These tests are essential to ensure vehicles meet rigorous safety requirements and comply with our national governing bodies. Now that our award-winning Vanish has passed these tests for design, safety, and performance, we are one step closer to delivering vehicles to our customers and dealers."
The Texas-based company opened the pre-order books for the Vanish miniature truck back in May, where interested parties could reserve one unit with a $250 deposit. The vehicle will eventually launch for around $33,900, which is not cheap for a mini-truck, but specific industries will certainly get good value for their investment.
For one, the modular design means Vanish is a multi-purpose EV. While the base Vanish comes with a flatbed, making it suitable for all-around hauling needs, operators can also choose a version boasting a pickup-style bed with fold-down tailgate and side gates for improved hauling or an enclosed van box layout.
As mentioned, the street-legal variant of the Ayro Vanish is limited to 25 mph as part of the LSV safety standards. Power comes from an electric axial flux motor fed by a lithium-ion battery. Moreover, the vehicle is said to offer an expected range of over 50 miles (80 km) and be able to tackle 30% inclines for a quarter-mile. Though small in size, it will be able to carry up to 1,200 lbs (544 kg) of payload or tow up to 1,150 lbs (522 kg).
The company also has plans to offer a non-street-legal version of the Ayro Vanish mini-truck with a higher top speed for private land users, like industrial parks, factories, resorts, or campuses.
Centered around innovation and sustainability, the Ayro Vanish is a groundbreaking mini-truck that falls into the low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV) category and was designed to alter the landscape of delivery and distribution. For those not familiar with the term, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines LSEVs as four-wheeled motor vehicles with a gross weight lower than 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg) and a top speed that does not exceed 25 miles per hour (40 kph).
The Vanish is basically a vehicle smaller than a full-size truck but larger than a utility vehicle. It comes with a lightweight architecture that helps reduce vehicle weight and maximize payload, while its modular design will allow for various configurations, hence the possibility of using it for various utility tasks.
In the United States, the Ayro Vanish underwent a rigorous homologation process in alignment with the LSV standards set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, as mandated by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The new vehicle was subjected to similar tests in Canada to ensure it not only meets but also exceeds the stringent vehicle regulations stipulated in the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Successfully passing these tests marks an important milestone for the new mini-truck as Ayro is getting ready for imminent deliveries. As the company's CEO Tom Wittenschlaeger explains, "These tests are essential to ensure vehicles meet rigorous safety requirements and comply with our national governing bodies. Now that our award-winning Vanish has passed these tests for design, safety, and performance, we are one step closer to delivering vehicles to our customers and dealers."
The Texas-based company opened the pre-order books for the Vanish miniature truck back in May, where interested parties could reserve one unit with a $250 deposit. The vehicle will eventually launch for around $33,900, which is not cheap for a mini-truck, but specific industries will certainly get good value for their investment.
For one, the modular design means Vanish is a multi-purpose EV. While the base Vanish comes with a flatbed, making it suitable for all-around hauling needs, operators can also choose a version boasting a pickup-style bed with fold-down tailgate and side gates for improved hauling or an enclosed van box layout.
As mentioned, the street-legal variant of the Ayro Vanish is limited to 25 mph as part of the LSV safety standards. Power comes from an electric axial flux motor fed by a lithium-ion battery. Moreover, the vehicle is said to offer an expected range of over 50 miles (80 km) and be able to tackle 30% inclines for a quarter-mile. Though small in size, it will be able to carry up to 1,200 lbs (544 kg) of payload or tow up to 1,150 lbs (522 kg).
The company also has plans to offer a non-street-legal version of the Ayro Vanish mini-truck with a higher top speed for private land users, like industrial parks, factories, resorts, or campuses.
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