Workhorse begins delivery of electric step vans, Ryder to begin rollout

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Updated Jul 21, 2020
Workhorse C-Series all-electric step vans sit parked outside company offices.Workhorse C-Series all-electric step vans sit parked outside company offices.

Workhorse will begin rollout of its all-electric step van this month through Ryder System.

Ryder will place the first group of Workhorse C-1000 vehicles through its peer-to-peer truck sharing platform, COOP, which connects fleet managers to businesses seeking to rent vehicles. Additional units will be placed with Ryder’s ChoiceLease and SelectCare lines.

“COOP is the perfect launch platform for new technology vehicles such as the Workhorse C-Series electric van as it provides customers the ability to try the vehicles in various markets without any long-term commitment,” Ryder Senior Director of Advanced Vehicle Technology & Energy Products Chris Nordh said.

The composite body C-1000 Workhorse electric van offers 1,000 cubic feet of cargo space, tipping the scales at approximately 13,000 pounds fully-loaded. Powered by a modular battery pack system, the standard C-1000 delivers nearly 100 miles of range (37 MPGe). It features a new low-floor platform for improved ingress and egress. The van is also equipped with an onboard Metron proprietary telematics system, enabling the user to track and monitor performance in real time.

The Workhorse final mile electrics will be offered for longer-term leases to the Ryder customer base with service and charging capabilities available out of Ryder’s 11-facility charge network across California.

Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes said his company has already delivered the first two C-1000s.

Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected].Â