Xos launched two new Class 6 to Class 8 e-truck models and announces partnership with Allison on e-axles

Xos is on fire, some might say. The Californian manufacturer has launched two new e-truck models, along with a fleet intelligence platform named Xosphere. The new e-trucks are a Class 8 heavy-duty electric tractor designed for regional-haul fleets and can travel up to 230 miles (370 km) on a single charge, namely the Xos HDXT, and a Class 6 or 7 medium-duty electric vehicle that can travel up to 270 miles (435 km) on a single charge, called the Xos MDXT.

Xos’ new e-truck models: the Class 8 HDXT

As for the Xos HDXT, it offers a 25 ton payload and 798 hp. The vehicle’s gross combined vehicle weight (gcwr), the maximum weight of a vehicle and its attached trailer, is 37 tons. McLane Company, a leading supply chain services and distribution company, has agreed to a pilot program with 10 Xos HDXT vehicles to explore environmentally friendly alternatives to its current fleet.

The MDXT offers a gross vehicle weight range of 10 to 15 tons and is available in a variety of body configurations, including a box truck, refrigerated unit, and flatbed. Republic National Distributing Company, one of the nation’s leading wholesale beverage distributors has already ordered an initial five MDXT vehicles. These will be the first battery-electric fleet vehicles in their fleet, and represent RNDC’s commitment to sustainability.

«We are building the fleet of the future. The new vehicle platforms go farther, last longer, and cost less for all types of fleets», said Dakota Semler, Chief Executive Officer of Xos. «We will continue to bring innovative fleet solutions to market in an effort to provide customers with safer, more sustainable, and more cost-efficient products».

Xosphere is the new proprietary software

Xos also announced its new software, Xosphere, a fleet intelligence platform built on top of Xos’ proprietary connected vehicle technology and is purpose-built to minimize the total cost of ownership of an electric fleet. The platform allows fleet managers to monitor real-time performance and receive alerts and over-the-air updates to improve their fleet’s efficiency, measure and minimize their fleet’s total energy cost, as well as access service and support at the click of a button.

«Our new offerings position Xos as a leading end-to-end fleet services provider which is a monumental milestone for us», commented Giordano Sordoni, Xos’ COO and co-founder. «Xos’ approach to scaling and production design allows the company to move with agility and use capital more effectively than traditional OEMs.These trucks are not merely concepts, they are a reality and can be ordered today to advance fleet electrification efforts across the country».

The partnership with Allison for the supply of e-axles

Last but not least, Xos announced quite a relevant partnership in view of e-axle supply for the newly-introduces electric truck models. In fact, Allison has delivered the initial eGen Power e-Axle hardware for integration, validation and testing in heavy-duty vehicle platforms that are designed and built by Xos. Allison will deliver additional eGen Power 100S and 100D units to Xos throughout 2022.

«We’re extremely proud to partner with Xos in the development of the next generation of commercial vehicles designed to improve the way fleets operate», said Alexander Schey, Allison’s Managing Director, Electrification Commercialization and Strategy. «We are inspired by Xos’ innovative and ambitious yet pragmatic approach to the EV market, and we look forward to leveraging Allison’s extensive testing and validation capabilities and investments as part of our partnership to bring Xos heavy duty vehicles to market».