Photo: Thor
There's no question the electric heavy-duty truck market is going to grow from its current state of absolute zero to maybe taking over completely some time in the future, and Tesla won't be able to do it alone.
Just like with passenger cars, other companies will join sooner or later, creating the kind of competition that can drive things forward more quickly. However, the Tesla Semi is still only a prototype right now with the market release set for 2019, so it looks like we're going to have to wait a little before trucks zip by without their usual loud engine noises.
Well, not if Thor can have a say in it. The small startup nobody has ever heard of has come out of nowhere and released an electric heavy duty truck prototype it says would hit the market before Tesla's. It's called ET-One - no explanation required - and is built on a Navistar chassis.
In fact, most of the parts are procured from established suppliers, a strategy the company says will help it ramp up production, but also give their clients more confidence. The prototype also uses heavy-duty Dana axles and a TM4 motor while the battery packs are built in-house using LG Chem cells.
Compared to the Tesla Semi, the specs are somewhat underwhelming. There's none of that crazy acceleration, but that's not what truck buyers care for anyway. They do pay more attention to the vehicle's maximum range, and the Thor ET-One only has 300 miles (482 km) of it. The company also plans a 100-mile version, though that might have very limited applications.
Tesla brags with a 500-mile maximum range, and as if that weren't enough, there's also the cost aspect. The announced prices for the Semi are $150,000 for 300 miles and $180,000 for 500 miles. The 300-mile Thor ET-One should sell for $250,000, a full $100,000 more than the equivalent Tesla, while the short range one would cost $150,000.
Those aren't exactly competitive numbers, but Thor seems determined to go on. The company is led by to 25-year-old co-founders who are tapping into the wealth of their families to support their enterprise, and they have already secured the services of experienced engineers from Navistar, BYD or the defunct Faraday Future. “We got lucky,” Dakota Semler, Thor co-founder, and CEO told Trucks.com. “L.A. is a hotbed for EV talent.”
Well, not if Thor can have a say in it. The small startup nobody has ever heard of has come out of nowhere and released an electric heavy duty truck prototype it says would hit the market before Tesla's. It's called ET-One - no explanation required - and is built on a Navistar chassis.
In fact, most of the parts are procured from established suppliers, a strategy the company says will help it ramp up production, but also give their clients more confidence. The prototype also uses heavy-duty Dana axles and a TM4 motor while the battery packs are built in-house using LG Chem cells.
Compared to the Tesla Semi, the specs are somewhat underwhelming. There's none of that crazy acceleration, but that's not what truck buyers care for anyway. They do pay more attention to the vehicle's maximum range, and the Thor ET-One only has 300 miles (482 km) of it. The company also plans a 100-mile version, though that might have very limited applications.
Tesla brags with a 500-mile maximum range, and as if that weren't enough, there's also the cost aspect. The announced prices for the Semi are $150,000 for 300 miles and $180,000 for 500 miles. The 300-mile Thor ET-One should sell for $250,000, a full $100,000 more than the equivalent Tesla, while the short range one would cost $150,000.
Those aren't exactly competitive numbers, but Thor seems determined to go on. The company is led by to 25-year-old co-founders who are tapping into the wealth of their families to support their enterprise, and they have already secured the services of experienced engineers from Navistar, BYD or the defunct Faraday Future. “We got lucky,” Dakota Semler, Thor co-founder, and CEO told Trucks.com. “L.A. is a hotbed for EV talent.”
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