Diesel-fueled medium-duty pickup trucks continue to be a major contributor to California's air quality challenges. Electric Vehicles Internation won a grant from the California Energy Commission in 2010 to engineer, develop and build up to 10 range-extended electric vehicles based on the Ford F-450 chassis used for medium-duty pickup trucks. The project had three phases: 1) Create a medium-duty range-extended electric vehicle powertrain with a natural gas-fueled range-extending generator; 2) Integrate the powertrain into an industry standard medium-duty pickup; and 3) Deploy prototypes with project partners for real-world demonstration of performance, emissions reductions, and fuel and maintenance costs benefits. A range-extending generator charges the vehicle's battery pack and is not directly connected to the drivetrain. The battery pack and electric traction motor propel the vehicle. The range-extended electric drive trucks had a range of 100 to 115 miles. The medium-duty range-extended electric vehicles can help transform the state's large and dirty diesel-fueled medium-duty fleet into a clean, cost-effective model of sustainability, powered by state-of-the-art California technology. As compared to medium-duty diesel trucks, each range-extended electric vehicle 1) reduces CO2 emission by 57 percent, eliminating 38,850 pounds of CO2 each year, 2) saves 1,440 gallons of fuel each year, and 3) saves an average of $4,320 in fuel costs and $750 every year on engine maintenance. The medium-duty range-extended electric vehicles reduce toxic particulate and criteria air emissions, minimizing human exposure and associated health effects. The vehicles can also increase awareness and adoption of clean, electric drive solutions through the deployment of reliable prototypes.
