Work Truck Week 2023 Roundup

Work Truck Week 2023 was an exciting week for those in the commercial truck industry.

Held in Indianapolis, Indiana, it showcased the latest innovations in work trucks, equipment, and technology.

This year's event highlighted significant developments in the industry — from advances in alternative-fuel vehicles to the latest safety features.

Here are the top news from Work Truck Week 2023 and what it means for the future of work trucks.

Isuzu’s All Electric N-Series EV

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America unveiled its first-ever all-electric production truck, the N-Series EV. The Class 5 truck will be available in the US and Canada by the first half of 2024.

It will feature:

• A full 19,500-pound gross vehicle weight rating.
• Wheelbases range from 132.5 to 176 inches.
• Four choices of battery capacity. The largest battery can last up to 235 miles.

The truck will have a new cab design that has been engineered from the ground up to enhance driver safety and comfort, with standard cab design and AC charging capability.

The N-Series EV will also be available in Japan, marking the first time that a new Isuzu model has been introduced simultaneously in three markets: Japan, the United States, and Canada.

Every N-Series EV will be powered by several 20-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery packs, with the option to choose from three-, five-, seven-, and nine-battery-pack models. The more battery packs, the longer the driving range.

The N-Series EV aims to meet the increasing demand for medium-duty trucks powered by electricity.

Morgan Olson C250 Postal Delivery Truck

Morgan Olson has launched a new postal delivery vehicle, the C250, for Canada Post during Work Truck Week 2023 in Indianapolis.

The vehicle features an internal combustion engine, along with an all-electric demonstration of the EV platform and improved fuel-efficient chassis.

The C250 offers improvements in:

• driver ergonomics
• Safety
• Cargo delivery efficiencies.
• Purpose-built cargo management system engineered by Masterack.

The C250 offers maximum usable parcel package cargo space and improved traction control during inclement weather and poor road conditions.

It is being produced at Morgan Olson's high-tech factory in Ringgold, Virginia. The vehicle represents a new advancement in postal delivery technology, aimed at enhancing performance and efficiency for postal workers in Canada.

Electric M- & L-Series Hino Trucks

Hino Trucks has announced that it will expand its product range to include electric.

The company plans to offer an electric version of its M- and L- Series medium-duty trucks branded Me Series and Le Series available in 2024.

It will begin production by integrating SEA Electric's SEA-Drive power system. The Hino Class 5 M5e cab over and Class 6 L6e conventional models come equipped with battery capacities of 138kwH and 220kwH respectively.

Hino Trucks' national dealer network is already prepared for the coming changes and is building infrastructure to support these trucks with Hino INCLUSEV, a premier portfolio of end-to-end electric vehicle enablement - exclusively available through Hino's nationwide dealer network.

VTRUX Class 3 Medium-Duty Electric Truck

Ideanomics and VIA introduced the VTRUX Class 3 medium-duty electric work truck, featuring a Knapheide stake body.

Visitors were able to schedule a ride and drive and view the VIA Motors and Morgan Olson's Class 2B Proxima with a VIA Skateboard.

During a press event, Ideanomics CEO Alf Poor shared updates on the company's charging solutions, including containerized charging, ChargeBIG, and WAVE wireless charging.

Poor also provided a first look at Ideanomics's new digital platform that will give fleet operators real-time insight into the performance of their EVs and charging solutions.

VMAC Released 3 New Products

VMAC showcased three new products.

The product releases include the DTM185 direct-transmission mounted air compressor, the G30+GEN rotary screw air compressor/generator, and the 5-in-1 Multifunction power system, powered by a Honda gas engine.

REE’s First US Dealers

REE Automotive has announced its first U.S. dealers to offer Powered by REE electric commercial vehicles.

The initial deliveries will start in Q4 2023 as part of REE's go-to-market approach of signing authorized dealers. REE will also provide training for technicians to service Powered by REE vehicles.

Dealerships include:

• Pritchard EV.
• Tom’s Truck Center.
• Industrial Power & Truck Equipment.
• New England Truck Solutions.

Plus, REE has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi HC Capital America to provide a customized finance solution for dealers in the REE network to streamline the financing process for the purchase of REE Powered vehicles.