Bollinger teams with Wabash to produce electric refrigerated delivery truck

Unlike passenger cars, specialty trucks are produced not by major automakers, but by a vast network of small upfitters, which build custom bodies on top of standard chassis. As trucks of every variety gradually get electrified, there are opportunities for hundreds of small businesses around the world.

Above: The Bollinger Motors and Wabash electric truck. Photo: Bollinger Motors

One of these is Bollinger Motors (now a subsidiary of Mullen Automotive). The innovative electric truck developer has teamed up with truck body and trailer manufacturer Wabash to develop a refrigerated truck body on an electric chassis.

Wabash has developed a lightweight composite technology called EcoNex Technology which it says will seamlessly integrate with Bollinger’s Class 4 electric chassis cab, and deliver significant weight savings, leading to increased payload capacity and lower costs.

EcoNex is made with a high-efficiency foam core, encapsulated in a polymer fiber-reinforced shell and a protective gel coat. Wabash says it can boost thermal performance by up to 30%, while reducing weight by up to 20%, and that the structural strength eliminates the need for metal or wood.

“Wabash’s EcoNex composite technology reduces the amount of electricity needed to maintain cold temperatures,” said Mark Ehrlich, VP of New Business Development at Wabash. “The all-electric truck we’re developing with Bollinger Motors will be highly efficient, with more uptime and less charging compared to conventional construction.”

“I’m excited to help green up the journey from farm to table,” said Robert Bollinger, founder and CEO of Bollinger Motors, who was inspired to start the company while he owned a farm in upstate New York. “We’re confident Wabash’s expertise in commercial transportation, combined with Bollinger’s leadership in Class 4 electrification, will deliver a superior product for customers looking to reduce their carbon footprints.”

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This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: Bollinger Motors via Green Car Congress