- Harbinger’s medium-duty truck chassis combines an 800V electric powertrain with a gas engine.
- The 1.4-liter engine is only used as a generator, making it an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).
- The chassis can support a wide range of cabs and body styles for commercial use.
Extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs, could become the next big thing in the automotive powertrain game. The idea has been around for a while, but the Ram 1500 Ramcharger put a spotlight on the tech when it debuted at the end of 2023. Thanks to its combination of a big battery pack and a range-extending engine, it showcased a great use-case scenario for EREVs in larger vehicle segments.
Enter Harbinger, a California-based startup focusing on electrifying commercial vehicles. It just unveiled an EREV chassis for medium-duty trucks that can be outfitted with pretty much any cab or body type, opening the floodgates for numerous applications for personal or commercial use. You might remember the Thor RV—it’s based on the same chassis. The difference now is that anyone can order a series hybrid chassis from Harbinger.
The startup says its platform is the first of its kind. It has an estimated driving range of 500 miles before its fuel tank and battery are depleted. A 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine draws fuel from a 50-gallon tank, which charges either a 140- or 175-kilowatt-hour battery pack, depending on what was fitted to the chassis. The batteries, supplied by Panasonic from Japan, are arranged in an 800V configuration and can be charged at up to 80% in one hour.
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Source: Harbinger Motors
The battery feeds power to a rear-mounted motor that delivers up to 1,140 pound-feet of torque and 440 horsepower. The chassis, which is assembled in the United States, comes off the assembly line fully kitted out, with the drivetrain, range-extender engine, high-voltage battery, steering, brakes and everything else needed to run the vehicle. From there, a third-party outfitter bolts up the body—be it a pickup, box truck, or something else.
Harbinger said it’s now taking orders for its extended-range chassis and that deliveries are scheduled to begin next year. The California start-up was founded in 2021 and recently it built its 100th truck at its manufacturing facility in Garden Grove.
