Photo: Bollinger
Mullen bought Bollinger mainly because that would help it sell the B1 and B2, two vehicles that the Mullen CEO confessed to loving. However, Bollinger is increasingly showing that Mullen will get more for its money. The company's latest announcement is that it partnered with Wabash for an innovative refrigerated delivery electric truck.
Commercial vehicles with batteries have a massive handicap: their large battery packs. In Bollinger’s case, that is even worse: the company wisely chose to use LFP battery packs, with are safer and less expensive to replace. The problem is their energy density, which is lower than that offered by ternary cells. In other words, vehicles with LFP cells are heavier than those with ternary cells with a comparable range.
Being heavy, commercial electric vehicles have a reduced payload compared to combustion-engined competitors. However, the need to cut carbon emissions will make them mandatory until fuel cell trucks offer a better solution. Lighter batteries, such as solid-state cells, may also help. Another option is to cut weight in other ways.
That is exactly what Wabash offered Bollinger with its new composite material. Called EcoNex, it helps to build more thermally efficient and lighter refrigerated truck bodies. That helps in two ways. Being more lightweight, EcoNex helps Bollinger trucks have a higher payload. Being more thermally efficient, they do not sacrifice range to keep goods fresh. It seems that only Class 4 Bollinger trucks, the Bollinger B4, will have that option. The company can offer vehicles up to Class 6 with its electrified chassis.
That’s great news. The problem is that Bollinger has not disclosed when this new refrigerated delivery truck will be available for customers. Wabash and Bollinger are still developing the new vehicle and did not give any deadline for it to make its world premiere. Our guess is that potential customers are the only ones that may currently have any idea of when they will manage to integrate the new truck into its fleets.
Being heavy, commercial electric vehicles have a reduced payload compared to combustion-engined competitors. However, the need to cut carbon emissions will make them mandatory until fuel cell trucks offer a better solution. Lighter batteries, such as solid-state cells, may also help. Another option is to cut weight in other ways.
That is exactly what Wabash offered Bollinger with its new composite material. Called EcoNex, it helps to build more thermally efficient and lighter refrigerated truck bodies. That helps in two ways. Being more lightweight, EcoNex helps Bollinger trucks have a higher payload. Being more thermally efficient, they do not sacrifice range to keep goods fresh. It seems that only Class 4 Bollinger trucks, the Bollinger B4, will have that option. The company can offer vehicles up to Class 6 with its electrified chassis.
That’s great news. The problem is that Bollinger has not disclosed when this new refrigerated delivery truck will be available for customers. Wabash and Bollinger are still developing the new vehicle and did not give any deadline for it to make its world premiere. Our guess is that potential customers are the only ones that may currently have any idea of when they will manage to integrate the new truck into its fleets.
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