DETROIT, MI – VIA Motors is set to unveil three new extended-range electric vehicles – the eREV Pickup Truck, SUV and Van – during a press conference Jan. 10 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, will present the VIA eREV vehicles at the press conference. Lutz, who oversaw development of the Chevrolet Volt during his time at General Motors, retired from GM in 2010 and now sits on the board of directors for VIA Motors.

“VIA Motors has developed the first extended-range electric powertrain capable of replacing the V8 engine,” Lutz said. “It was my great privilege to introduce the Chevy Volt, and it will be a great honor to introduce the world’s first line of eREV trucks, vans and SUVs by VIA Motors.”

VIA has developed VIA V-Drive, a proprietary 650-volt eREV drive system, designed for full-size trucks and SUVs. VIA employs a streamlined, second-stage manufacturing process – VTRUX -- to integrate the company’s eREV powertrain technology into new OEM vehicles. VIA VTRUX delivers up to 40-mile EV range and up to 400-mile extended range, averaging over 100 mpg in typical daily driving, the automaker said. 

Initially, VIA plans to sell directly to fleets, then later to consumers. The company said it has begun taking orders for its eREV Pickup Truck from many of America’s largest fleets. Production of VIA’s eREV Pickup Truck is scheduled to begin in 2012.

“This new breed of full-size utility vehicles can deliver the power and performance of a V8, with better fuel economy than many smaller cars, by driving on electricity for about $2 a day,” said Alan Perriton, chief operations officer for VIA Motors. “It actually costs less to own and operate a clean VIA electrified truck or SUV than a gas truck.” 

In addition to the full-size pickup truck, VIA will unveil a full-size 4WD SUV and a full-size cargo van at its booth on the main floor of the show. All three vehicles can drive 30 to 40 miles on advanced lithium-ion batteries, and then up to 400 miles using the onboard generator, averaging up to 100 mpg.