Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. unveiled the Newton Step Van, an all-electric zero-emissions vehicle built on the Newton platform that features a walk-in body produced by Indiana-based Utilimaster. Smith announced the launch of the Newton Step Van in Indianapolis at the NTEA Work Truck Show. FedEx Express will be the first company to deploy the Newton Step Vans in the United States.
The Newton Step Van offers a gross vehicle weight of 14,000 to 26,000 pounds and a range of about 100 miles on a single charge. The vehicle incorporates Smith’s proprietary Smith Drive, Smith Power and Smith Link technologies. The first Newton Step Vans are expected to be deployed in select U.S. markets throughout the remainder of 2012.
“The leadership shown by FedEx in adopting all-electric vehicles has been instrumental to growing the industry,” said Bryan Hansel, chief executive officer and chairman of Smith. “We welcome FedEx and look forward to successful vehicle deployments that demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of fleet electrification.”
“This opportunity helps support our goal to optimize and operate our vehicle fleet in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner,” said Dennis Beal, vice president of global vehicles at FedEx Express. “Smith’s global footprint and track record of successful EV deployments make it an ideal collaborator as FedEx continues to improve its fleet efficiency, reducing emissions while providing the best possible service to our customers around the world.”
