Bollinger Unveils World’s First Electric Chassis For Class 3 Trucks

Michigan-based electric vehicle start-up Bollinger has unveiled its new E-Chassis, which it says is the world’s first and only electric platform for Class 3 trucks.

This is the same platform that underpins Bollinger’s B1 electric SUV and B2 electric truck, but the company has now made it available separate from the B1 for fleet use.

“When we first built our Class 3 B1, we knew there was a commercial aspect to the platform,” company CEO Robert Bollinger said in a statement. “Not only cab-on-chassis, but entirely new truck bodies can fit on our E-Chassis, and help propel the world to all-electric that much faster.”

The B1 chassis is available with a 120-kWh battery pack – a 180-kWh battery is optional – and supports both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The chassis features two motors in all-wheel-drive form and uses a 5-15 kW onboard charger. Other key features include independent front and rear suspension, a hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension system and available portal gear hubs.

Bollinger says its E-Chassis can support a 5,000-lb payload and meets Class 3 regulations. It will be manufactured alongside the B1 and B2 trucks and “made available for commercial use in 2021.” Pricing has not yet been announced.

Bollinger did not provide range estimates for the commercial E-Chassis platform, either, but the Bollinger B1 and B2’s specs should provide us with some indication. Both the B1 and B2 feature dual-motor powertrains good for 614 horsepower and 668 pound-feet of torque, giving them a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. and a max payload of 5,000 lbs. The 120-kWh battery pack provides an EPA-estimated range of about 200 miles.

GM’s early electric vehicle efforts seem mainly focused toward consumer products, like the new GMC Hummer EV, for example, but we imagine it’s only a matter of time before it begins bringing the technology over to the fleet side and offering battery-powered chassis cab/cutaway trucks.

Bollinger B2

GM currently offers ICE-powered cutaway trucks in the way of the Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana cutaway, Navistar-built Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty and Isuzu-built Chevrolet Low Cab Forward trucks.

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