Panasonic has announced a new partnership with Tropos Motors to advance what they call “hyper-efficient” electric compact utility vehicles (eCUVs).
Under the Tropos Motors brand, Tropos Technologies Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based start-up that manufacturers and distributes all-electric, street-legal vehicles. It specializes in utility electric low-speed vehicles and trucks, designed for corporate, fleet, first-responder, agriculture, last-mile delivery and construction applications.
According to Scott Morrison, director of advanced engineering at Panasonic Automotive, the partners plan to “address the needs of businesses that depend on small commercial vehicles with the right mix of technologies and electrification solutions that also add societal value by providing cleaner alternatives.”
“If you can have a vehicle that has all of the capabilities of a larger truck, but in a smaller package, that is what makes it more appropriate for the job,” he continues. “It is not about down-sizing. It is about right-sizing.”
“Panasonic has positioned themselves as a trusted source in end-to-end transportation energy solutions,” notes John Bautista, founder and CEO of Tropos Technologies. “One of the things we at Tropos Technologies bring to Panasonic is our ability to take their technologies and put them into practical applications very efficiently in our Tropos Motors vehicle platforms.”