Electric vehicle startup company Bollinger Motors has recently announced plans to make an all-electric delivery van, dubbed Deliver-E, starting in 2022. The move joins a rising number of manufacturers competing to bring models to the market amid growing demand from significant delivery fleets.
The company has already been working on bringing a line of rugged electric trucks, including the Jeep-like B1 and the B2 pickup, for consumers to the market. However, Bollinger’s CEO Robert Bollinger, said the push for the Deliver-E model came from manufacturers urgently seeking electric-powered delivery vans.
The expanding e-commerce has stimulated interest in electric delivery vans. California has also approved a pioneering policy, which will begin in 2024, demanding manufacturers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles.
What sets Bollinger apart from these other manufacturers is the variability of its platform. The Michigan-based startup will offer a variety of battery pack sizes, including 70 kWh, 105 kWh, 140 kWh, 175 kWh, and 210 kWh, allowing a maximum range of up to 200 miles. Deliver-E van customers will have an assortment of options to choose from, including range, wheelbase sizes, and prices. Finally, the front-wheel-drive platform will be engineered to fit Classes 2B through to Class 5.
When Deliver-E eventually starts production, it will have a lot of competition, including General Motors’ BV1 electric delivery van that will enter production at the end of 2021. Mercedes-Benz already has several EV models on the road, and Ford has multiple versions in the works. Amazon has ordered 100K electric vans from EV startup Rivian. Waymo, an autonomous vehicle company, is working with Fiat Chrysler to develop a self-driving commercial delivery van based on the Ram ProMaster. Other startups like UK-based Arrival and Chanje are working on electric vans as well.
In 2017, Bollinger first introduced its B1 SUV and B2 pickup truck, both of which were scheduled to go into production this year. However, the production was delayed until the end of 2021. Prices for the B1 and B2 will start at $125,000. Bollinger has yet to reveal the cost of the Deliver-E van.
