Photo: Workhorse
Americans love their pickups, and if electric vehicles want to cover all aspects of transportation, sooner or later they will have to deal with this segment as well.
And they will. Tesla has already announced that one of its future models will be a truck, even though it hasn't released any more information about it - size, range, load capacity, stuff like that. But since it's a Tesla, everyone simply assumes it's going to be great.
However, with the Model 3 still in the pipeline and an alleged Model Y to follow, people interested in buying a pickup from Palo Alto might have to wait a few more years. That's one aspect that Workhorse would like to take advantage of and be the first to launch such a vehicle.
Well, it should be said right from the off that the W-15, the name given to this project, isn't a pure EV, but a range-extended one. That means it can drive purely on electricity as long as you don't exceed its maximum EV range of 80 miles (130 kilometers) between charges, but it can also fire up its onboard internal combustion engine to juice up the battery on the go if needed.
That's a compromise solution that seeks to eliminate range anxiety without having to exaggerate with the capacity of the battery pack, while also offering the opportunity to drive it exclusively on electric power. Of course, it's nothing new as the BMW i3 and the Chevrolet Volt used the same type of powertrain.
The Workhorse W-15 comes equipped with two electric motors - one for each axle - giving it four-wheel-drive with regenerative braking for "added traction, stability, and efficiency." It offers seating for five as standard, and the safety of those inside was not neglected either as the W-15 features a crumple zone at the front as well as more advanced technologies such as lane centering and auto-braking.
But if there's one aspect where the Workhorse W-15 scores very high is the exterior design. It is definitely American, and that should help it find its buyers more easily. The truck is primarily intended for fleet use, but Workhorse would be crazy not to allow individuals to buy one if they so wish.
However, with the Model 3 still in the pipeline and an alleged Model Y to follow, people interested in buying a pickup from Palo Alto might have to wait a few more years. That's one aspect that Workhorse would like to take advantage of and be the first to launch such a vehicle.
Well, it should be said right from the off that the W-15, the name given to this project, isn't a pure EV, but a range-extended one. That means it can drive purely on electricity as long as you don't exceed its maximum EV range of 80 miles (130 kilometers) between charges, but it can also fire up its onboard internal combustion engine to juice up the battery on the go if needed.
That's a compromise solution that seeks to eliminate range anxiety without having to exaggerate with the capacity of the battery pack, while also offering the opportunity to drive it exclusively on electric power. Of course, it's nothing new as the BMW i3 and the Chevrolet Volt used the same type of powertrain.
The Workhorse W-15 comes equipped with two electric motors - one for each axle - giving it four-wheel-drive with regenerative braking for "added traction, stability, and efficiency." It offers seating for five as standard, and the safety of those inside was not neglected either as the W-15 features a crumple zone at the front as well as more advanced technologies such as lane centering and auto-braking.
But if there's one aspect where the Workhorse W-15 scores very high is the exterior design. It is definitely American, and that should help it find its buyers more easily. The truck is primarily intended for fleet use, but Workhorse would be crazy not to allow individuals to buy one if they so wish.
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