Zeus Electric Chassis and EAVX announced a collaboration to develop and market all-electric vocational work trucks.
Joint development efforts will focus on integration of the JB Poindexter & Co. commercial truck bodies, utility truck bodies and vehicle cargo management systems with the Zeus Power Platform.
Zeus will leverage JB Poindexter’s North American operational footprint to help establish a nationwide service and support network for Zeus products.
“We have a proven history of creating and servicing excellent work truck and commercial vehicle bodies and accessories, and we are now expanding our capabilities to provide additional alternative energy solutions through this partnership with Zeus Electric Chassis,” said John B. Poindexter, CEO and chairman of JB Poindexter.
The non-exclusive collaboration will initially focus on the Zeus Z-19 (Class 5, 19,500-lb. GVWR) and Z-22 (Class 6, 22,300-lb. GVWR), and will expand quickly to the Z-26 (Class 6, 26,000-lb. GVWR) all of which are designed from the ground-up and available with a variety of cab options.
Initial market penetration will utilize current and next-generation JB Poindexter’s body designs and will be available for commercial fleet pilot programs in 2022.
“The vocational work truck industry is poised for a step function change towards electrification,” said Bill Brandt, chief revenue officer at Zeus. “It’s more than simply installing existing OEM bodies on an electric vehicle (EV) chassis, it’s taking a holistic approach and collaborating with industry leaders such as JB Poindexter and bringing innovative next generation solutions to market.
Zeus offers a fully configurable class 4-6 all-electric vocational work truck cab-chassis. The Minnesota-based manufacturer reports that the core of their business model is to align with market leading vocational work truck body manufacturers and enable them to bring EV solutions to industry fleets that can out-perform diesel counterparts.
The Zeus Power Platform is a ground-up design that offers holistic integration of both mechanical and engineered systems between the cab-chassis, body and auxiliary functions, including a suite of telematics software solutions.
“As EAVX works with the most advanced alternative energy chassis producers, having a partner like Zeus is beneficial with their holistic approach to integration of systems between the cab-chassis and the body”, said EAVX chief operating officer and general manager Mark Hope. “Zeus will enable us to demonstrate innovative severe-duty EV work truck solutions in 2022 with plans for commercialized units and trade shows.”
JB Poindexter launched EAVX this summer. The company seeks to partner "with the most advanced electric and alternative power chassis producers to design, manufacture, distribute and service the world’s largest commercial fleets and markets."