Shyft Completes XL Fleet Acquisition

The Shyft Group, North American specialty vehicle manufacturer, announced it has successfully completed the acquisition of XL Fleet as planned.

Initially announced by Spruce Power last month, the acquisition includes:

• The option to extend employment opportunities to XL Fleet technical talent.
• Assume a short-term leased facility including equipment in Wixom, Michigan.
• Support the completion of a pilot development agreement with the Department of Defense.

Fleet Electrification Solutions a Reality

“Blue Arc, which Shyft unveiled at NTEA Work Truck Week last year, brings fleet electrification solutions that leverage our 50 years of experience in last-mile delivery, a noteworthy anniversary which we celebrate this year,” said Daryl Adams, President and CEO of The Shyft Group.

“The response to Blue Arc’s commercial-grade offering has been strong. With the ramp-up of EV production in 2023, we welcome the opportunity to integrate talent and discrete assets that will help us charge ahead to meet the electrification needs of our customers,” Adams added.

“We are thrilled to integrate this team, equipment, and the facility into our growing EV business,” said Eric Fisher, SVP and General Manager of Shyft Innovations.

“It’s always been part of our plan to expand the team as we move towards production and we feel fortunate that the timing worked out to allow us to bring significant talent in this way. We expect it to help accelerate our build-out capability.”

Shyft's Acquisition Updates

The incoming team members will be based either in Plymouth or the 24,655-square-foot Wixom Technology Center, which will continue to be used for technical and test work as Shyft evaluates how the facility best complements its footprint going forward.

The DOD pilot program Shyft assumed as part of the acquisition supports the completion of an awarded contract by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army’s Project Manager Transportation Systems (PMTS) to prototype a fuel-saving technology for military vehicles.

Shyft will help complete the application of sustainable fleet vehicle technologies that can extend the operational range of military tactical vehicles, while supporting troops’ safety and providing significant fuel and operating cost savings, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Fleet Electrification Journey

Work Truck spoke with CEO and President Daryl Adams on transitioning to Blue Arc into fleets. He recommends Blue Arc for fleets who want to start transitioning to electric or have already started transitioning.

"Shyft is not new to this space and has satisfied our customers for 50 years with resources and networks in place. Leveraging partnerships with 24/7 availability across the US and Canada, Shyft will support fleet managers with a dedicated EV product support team, factory-trained EV technicians, in-stock EV parts, and a warranty. In addition, real-time status updates keep fleet managers up to date​ while VMRS Coding ensures data integrity and provides insights into potential preventative maintenance events​."

If you have already integrated EVs into your fleet, Adams said "There should be no challenges to adding Blue Arc electric vehicles to fleets to complete their EV fleets. We can work with fleets to ensure the best fit for their needs.  Class 3, 4, and 5 delivery vehicles can be ordered through a dealer network."

He concluded with, "We have come a long way in a short time thanks to our deep experience in fleets for last-mile delivery. Bringing on resources from XL Fleet is a big positive for us. It will allow us to move more quickly and accelerate our ability to respond to demand.”

Editor's Note: This article was edited on January 5, 2023, to add Shyft CEO and President Daryl Adams' interview quotes.