Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Trucks/Pickups
Phoenix Motors takes order for 75 electritrucks
See? We told you Phoenix had a good thing with it's all-electric SUT. Phoenix says it's taken orders from several utility companies and municipalities for 75 of its battery-powered sport utility trucks. The Ontario-based company doesn't mention any buyers by name, though.
Phoenix has only to sell 425 more SUTs before December to reach its goal. Their next trick? A full-sized SUV capable of carrying seven passengers on not one drop of gas.
Read Phoenix's full press release after the jump.
[Source: EV World]
Phoenix Motorcars Takes First Fleet Pre-sales Orders
for its All-Electric, Sports Utility Truck
Company on Track to Sell 500 Zero-Emission Vehicles in 2007
ONTARIO, Calif. - January 12, 2007 - Phoenix Motorcars has announced the receipt of 75 fleet orders from
several municipalities and an utility company for its new zero-emission, all-electric, freeway-ready sports utility truck. The company, which is on target to manufacture and sell 500 fleet-ready vehicles by year's end, will produce 16 pilot-build vehicles next month.
Some of the 16 vehicles will be used to continue validation of the federally mandated safety test process. The company is working with Boshart Engineering, an Ontario, California company that specializes in vehicle certification services, to gain its Federal Motor Vehicle Certification. "Boshart has already made substantial progress towards certifying Phoenix's vehicles," said Dan Elliott, CEO of Phoenix Motorcars. "Boshart has kept to a very aggressive timetable."
The company also confirmed that in consideration for a three-year exclusivity agreement within the U.S., Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI), a leading supplier of nanomaterials and high-power battery systems technology, received a 16.6 percent ownership in the company. The three-year exclusivity agreement provides Phoenix with limited, exclusive use of Altairnano's NanoSafe™ battery packs in four-wheel, all-electric vehicles having a gross weight up to 6,000 pounds. Phoenix must meet minimum battery pack purchases, annually, to maintain the limited exclusivity agreement. The minimum commitment to maintain exclusivity for 2007 would provide $16 Million in battery pack sales to Altairnano.
The Phoenix Motorcars sport utility truck can cruise on the freeway at up to 95 m.p.h. while carrying five passengers and a full payload, a capability that has caught the attention of fleet dealers, consumers, Hollywood and the media. It exceeds all specifications for a Type III ZEV and has a driving range of 130 miles. Its battery can be recharged in less than 10 minutes and has a life-span of 12 years or more.
Phoenix Motorcars' 2007 market strategy targets operators of fleet vehicles, such as public utilities, public transportation providers, and delivery services. This market presents a significant opportunity as there are more than 200,000 fleet vehicles in the State of California alone, with an increasing number of fleet operators now seeking freeway-capable, zero-emission, all-electric vehicles. A limited number of vehicles will be available to consumers in 2007 with an expanded-consumer launch scheduled for 2008. Phoenix Motorcars will introduce a SUV model in late 2007.
"These are full-sized vehicles which carry five people at freeway speeds," said Elliott. "There is tremendous pent-up demand among fleet buyers for a real zero-emission, all-electric vehicle, and we are well on our way to satisfying this market demand."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jc 2:41PM (1/14/2007)
I'm not big on electric,but I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr,gas powered pick-up car.I do light construction and the boys do soccer on the weekends.My current 4 dr pick up truck is more than I need and uses too much gas.Sell me a car that has utility.I'm sort of imagining a Ford freestyle sized vehicle with a p/u bed.
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Adam 3:08PM (1/14/2007)
"I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr, gas powered pick-up car."
Subaru Baja?
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Adam 3:13PM (1/14/2007)
"I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr, gas powered pick-up car."
Subaru Baja?
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kent beuchert 6:08PM (1/14/2007)
Phoenix Motors strategy is to sell the pickup truck as a commercial fleet vehicle, especially to electric utilities , who can easily set up charging stations thruout their area of operation. Other targetted types would be wherever work trucks are used that don't need
long distance capability. Let's hope that once a large number of these vehicles are out there, California will make some move towards requiring an infrastructure. The utilities are said to be eager to
get involved, but existing gas stations are probably a more logical choice. They should get started learning how to handle electric cars. Phoenix has talked of 10,000 per year sales and higher after that.
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doug 7:20PM (1/14/2007)
Are you suggesting that GM (Chevy Volt) doesn't have Altairnano's Phone number ? 95 mph with a 130 mi. range, 10 min. recharging, 5 pass. capacity with a pick up bed ?? Not to mention a projected 12 yr. useful battery life !! How does Phoenix have the magic bullets and not GM, or Toyota or etc,etc ?
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iama 7:49PM (1/14/2007)
I spotted one of these in a parking lot in Pasadena yesterday. It was completely debadged and had Michigan plates, which lead me to think it some horrendous new product idea from Pontiak, i.e. a next generation Aztek SUT. Happy to know that its not, and even happier that its an EV. Its a big vehicle in person, the size of a mini-van.
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Chris 7:52PM (1/14/2007)
"2. "I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr, gas powered pick-up car."
Subaru Baja?"
Yes....great car. It's too bad Subaru sank it before it's time, mainly because of lack of advertisement. It's only funny because now the Honda Ridgeline is selling like hotcakes because of publicity.
On Topic though....fantastic of Pheonix motors.
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Lithous 8:16PM (1/14/2007)
It's good to see some Americans that 1) didn't *just* bitch and complain about GM and Ford as their only choice in American vehicles (they actually did something about it other than: if you can't beat them, join them) and 2) didn't outsource nearly every single piece to foreign companies (right Tesla?).
Sweeeeet.
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andybee 8:31PM (1/14/2007)
this vehicle was at SEMA. Is it a Korean or Chinese truck thats imported by Phoenix or is it a full Canadian design?
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jc 8:46PM (1/14/2007)
#2 Subie's too small.there's gotta be a market for decent sized a 4 dr. pick up car.So many vehicles are sold on their usefulness and utility.It only makes sense that their should be a car with utility features for those of us who don't feel the need to go excessive with an SUV.
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JSG 9:26PM (1/14/2007)
why does it look like a ssangyong?
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Lithous 9:38PM (1/14/2007)
"Is it a Korean or Chinese truck thats imported by Phoenix or is it a full Canadian design?"
I emailed them a couple weeks ago and the vehicles are assembled in California.
Not only that, your Canadian comment is probably because their partner, Boshart Engineering has headquarters in Ontario, CALIFORNIA.
(source: http://www.boshartengineering.com/contact_us.html)
Kinda like how Toyota has a Baja California (Mexico) plant where some of their pickups are made. Kinda confusing unless you take the extra 2 minutes to read.
Phoenix Motorcars partners (source: http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/partners/index.html)...
Boshart Engineering - as mentioned earlier has headquarters in Ontario, California.
Altairnano -
Altairnano is based in Reno, Nevada, with a 100,000 square foot facility of offices, laboratories and manufacturing areas. We also have battery design, prototype manufacturing and product applications labs in Anderson, Indiana.
(source: http://www.altairnano.com/corp_overview.html)
UQM Technologies - Based in Frederick, Colorado (source: http://www.uqm.com/contact/contact.html)
Phoenix Motorcars has an agreement with UQM Technologies (AMEX: UQM) to supply electric vehicle motor drive systems.
andybee should be andyeff as in you failed.
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Lithous 9:40PM (1/14/2007)
BTW, I meant to state that Phoenix and one of their partners is based in Ontario, CALIFORNIA.
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LOP 9:43PM (1/14/2007)
the front of the van remenbers me Mitsubishi Grandis..
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Lithous 9:48PM (1/14/2007)
More Ontario, California stuff, yeah, it really is an American place...
http://www.maglite.com/company_about.asp
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=146224&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=920076&highlight - some of the very few jobs in direct connection with LCD TV production (even if it is just assembly it is still jobs here that wouldn't exist).
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Joo 11:32PM (1/14/2007)
I think that this truck is based on Ssangyong Motor (Smallest Korean Motor Company now owned by Chinese SAIC Motor) Actyon.
http://www.smotor.com/kr/showroom/actyons/actyons_main.jsp
Sorry, It's Korean website.
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Gerry 11:44PM (1/14/2007)
"I'm not big on electric,but I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr,gas powered pick-up car."
jc: Remember the Ranchero and El Camino?
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Andy 11:55PM (1/14/2007)
I love the idea of a electric utility vehicle. Most truck owners don't need a 5,200 lb., 300 hp full-size pickup making 13 mpg. If Phoenix keeps the price low, this sucker will make a nice purchase. Now for an affordable, practical electric car.
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Daniel Australia 7:27AM (1/15/2007)
that thing looks EXACTLY like the new Ssangyong Actyon ute they are going to sell in australia to replace the Musso Dual Cab.
its either a Ssangyong or some designer has blatantly copied the South Korean car maker.
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john riley 8:21AM (1/15/2007)
"I wonder which manufacturer will be the first to offer a 4 dr,gas powered pick-up car."
Have to get GM to bring the Holden Crewman from Aus:
http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/vehicleentry?vehicleid=23
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