Motiv Electric Trucks, manufacturer of medium-duty electric trucks and buses, has launched Argo, its first fully integrated cab-chassis design that significantly expands the number and type of vehicles and applications that can be electrified.
Available in multiple configurations, Argo supports dock-height to lower-profile applications and a wider range of truck body lengths for work site vehicles (short dump trucks and aerial lifts); walk-through delivery trucks (step vans); dry freight or refrigerated trucks up to 30 feet long; and buses.
“Overnight we’ve moved from a company primarily serving a narrow slice of the $20 billion medium-duty truck market to one that can serve nearly that entire market,” says Scott Griffith, CEO of Motiv. “The launch of Argo is a transformational moment for our company as we can now offer more vehicles and options to help more fleet customers meet their sustainability goals.”
Among the benefits of the Argo series are:
- Heavier payloads, farther — Argo trucks haul up to 14,000 pounds of payload and can drive up to 200 miles. The cab’s lightweight composite structure coupled with the Aries LFP battery that was co-developed with Our Next Energy, provides fleets with industry-leading range and payload, all without requiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
- Safety for everyone — Argo’s safety-focused design begins with an emphasis on visibility. Forward command seating, low beltlines, larger windshield and a low curbside window provide drivers more direct views of their surroundings to keep pedestrians safe. Front and rear camera and optional e-mirrors offer additional visibility enhancements.
Argo’s design also prioritizes driver safety. Curbside, forward-facing entry and exit with two full-length safety railings and full-size, high-friction, self-cleaning interior steps help mitigate the most commonly occurring operator injuries.
- Superior uptime and durability — The Argo platform provides superior durability and uptime at a fraction of the weight of other electric medium-duty trucks. Built in partnership with TPI Composites, the Argo cab uses advanced structural composite materials and processes that provide higher corrosion and impact resistance as well as better repairability and stronger structural integrity. As a result, the cab gets damaged less frequently and can be repaired faster. Motiv’s Gen 6 technology featuring the Motiv Smart Hub improves reliability by reducing cables and replacing wires with circuit boards.
- Energy optimized — The Argo cab’s composite structure provides superior insulation versus metal cabs. Other energy-saving features include built-in microwire heat on the windshield to save on defrosting energy and seats heated and cooled with specially designed airflow.
- Compatible with 14- to 30-foot truck bodies — The Argo comes in wheelbases ranging from 178-inch to 252-inch. Available in a dock-height configuration with standard 295/75R22.5 tires or a lower-profile height with 245/70R19.5 tires, Argo works in almost any medium-duty application.
- Diesel-equivalent torque — Argo’s patented motor and controller, co-developed with Nidec, offers torque comparable to a Class 8 diesel and motor performance comparable to an 800-volt system, all using a 400-volt system compatible with all DC fast chargers.
Made in the U.S., the Argo Series of vehicles are Buy America-compliant, eligible for tax credits and a variety of incentive programs, and now available for order.
