Workhouse Group took the covers off of the "preliminary specifications" for the W-15 electric pickup for the very first time. At the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, California, the Workhorse Group highlighted the truck's features that include a 60 kWh battery pack with an 80-mile range, a 75 MPGe rating, and of course 460 horsepower.
Just last month, WG released the chassis and plug-in hybrid powertrain of its upcoming electric truck and finally, this week, the whole truck has been displayed for all to see, although what has been showcased is a "proof of concept." But it is a working prototype and could be not a complete representative of the production version.
Let's talk powertrain. Thanks to its 60 kWh battery pack supplied by Panasonic, the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup can go up to 80 miles on all-electric mode on a full charge. But there is a software-locking 20kWh in capacity. This is to reduce battery degradation.
This raised some eyebrows. Others think this is a major waste of capacity and owners should access the energy when needed.
Regardless, as advertised in the video below, which you can watch, with a 7.2 kWh power system, owners can basically plug-in just about anything on the pickup's large battery pack. In fact, this can be used to power tools for construction workers and others.
The BMW gas engine will kick in after 80 miles as a range extender. 460 horses are produced by the pickup truck's dual motors and are sent to all four wheels.
Running on gas online, it has a claimed 310 miles, a 28/32 mpg city/highway rating, while 75 MPGe fuel efficiency in All-Electric Operation. Plus, it can reach a 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.
Towing capacity. The only downside of the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup is its towing capacity of around 5,000 pounds or approximately 2,500 kg. This is actually comparable to Tesla Model X's towing capacity, which is the current standard for electric towing.
But for comparison-wise, the base Chevrolet Silverado with a V8 engine can tow around 7,600 pounds, while the Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost V6 engine can tow up to 8,500 pounds. So, you get the picture where the W-15 stands, although this electric pickup is more economical, despite not being as powerful.
Exterior and interior. Exuding a touch commercial truck vibe, the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup has a good amount of flat planes and sharp angles. Inside is more Spartan with a custom dashboard. There's a simple dial for shifting in the center and there are two LCD screens displaying the instruments and infotainment system.
Among the features of the electric pickup are collision-avoidance, automatic braking, and lane-departure warning. It also has dual airbags.
Price. With an estimated base price of $52,000, buyers could get the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup at around $40,000 to $45,000 after state incentives. Production is slated to end by 2018.
With Workhorse Group's 10-year partnership with Ryder, the W-15 electric pickup with be sold and serviced at more than 800 locations in Canada, Mexico, and of course the United States.
WG currently has 4,650 pre-orders of the electric pickup and it seems demand is high. But the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup isn't the only pickup hitting the market, as Tesla has recently announced, and teased, its plans for electric pickups.
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