Upstart VIA Motors has unveiled the world’s first extended-range pickup truck. Like the Chevrolet Volt, VIA’s pickup truck is powered by an electric motor, but uses an onboard gas generator to charge its batteries.
Based on the Chevrolet Silverado, the VIA-modified truck – dubbed the Vtrux – is powered by a combination of a 4.3L V6 and a 402 horsepower electric motor. The truck’s drive wheels are exclusively powered by the electric motor, with the gas engine acting as a generator for the vehicle’s 24kW lithium-ion battery pack.
“This is the revolution. We call it the eREVolution, “ said Bob Lutz, a member of VIA Motors’ board and the former General Motors vice chair.
Like the Volt, the Vtrux promises an all-electric range of about 40 miles, with the gas engine extending that range by another 300 miles. But, unlike the Volt, the Vtrux can be used as a mobile generator. According to Alan Perriton, VIA Motors’ COO, the Vtrux can be used for anything from powering a hairdryer at a camp site to powering a home during a power outage.
The VIA Vtrux is currently on sale with a starting price of $57,000.
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1.’VIA Motors introduces…’ view
