The California Department of General Services (DGS) has awarded a contract to Kingsburg Truck Center to serve as the sole supplier to state agencies of the Workhorse W4 CC and W56 battery-electric, medium-duty commercial step vans. Indiana-based Workhorse (WKHS) builds and designs its vehicles in-house and is a known player in the zero-emission commercial vehicle industry
The chief goal of the contract is to simplify the EV procurement process by providing pre-negotiated pricing with a trusted supplier as the state pushes agencies to comply with Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) requirements.
In January, the state formally withdrew its request for a federal waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce ACF regulations for both federal and private commercial fleets. However, this request does not apply to state and local agencies, meaning they are still legally required to transition towards zero-emission vehicles.
[Related: California drops pursuit of Advanced Clean Fleets rule]
The San Joaquin Valley, in particular, is a major concern for state officials because of its poor air quality, which is among the worst in the nation. Constant commercial vehicle traffic is a major emissions contributor, thus making it imperative to work towards better air quality for local communities.
The Class 4 cab chassis Workhorse W4 CC is an appealing choice for agencies for several reasons, among them is its customization abilities for a range of vocational requirements. The Class 5/6 W56, meanwhile, offers a 10,000-pound payload capacity and 210 kWh worth of battery power, enabling a 150-mile maximum range on a single charge.
[Related: Workhorse W56 EV step vans joins NorthStar Courier fleet]
“The Workhorse W4 CC and W56 provide state agencies with reliable, zero-emission vehicles to meet their operational needs while supporting California’s ambitious clean transportation standards,” said Ryan Gaul, president, commercial vehicles at Workhorse. “We’re proud to partner with Kingsburg Truck Center to provide hard-working, reliable vehicles that help improve air quality and drive the transition to electrified fleets.”
Medium-duty commercial BEVs, including refuse and recycling trucks, are proving to be successful in the field as businesses nationwide continue to take advantage of various state and (for now) federal incentives to retire their diesel-powered truck fleets in favor of zero-emissions vehicles. Long-range zero-emission semis, however, have so far been less successful in terms of adoption rates for several reasons, chiefly lack of range and other infrastructure-related issues.
