Last week Bob Lutz’s plug-in truck maker VIA Motors recieved certification for sale from the EPA for its eREV Van. VIA’s plug-in hybrid vans are now cleared for sale across the country, allowing its Mexican factory to begin production in earnest.
While VIA Motors has a few demonstration fleets out to companies like California electric utility PG&E, its mostly been relegated to a few press test drives and auto shows. But Lutz, who is Chairman of VIA Motors, has displayed great confidence in his product and has even gone so far as saying that the Chevy Volt should have been a truck instead.
“We see our eREV vehicles as an important part of the fleets of the future. This all-important EPA certification validates our concept of integrating VIA’s proprietary powertrain into OEM vehicles to deliver both economical and clean vehicle solutions,” said Pablo Acedo, CEO of VIA Motors.
“If we are going to see main stream adoption of electric vehicles, the technology must deliver a good return on investment to the largest segment of the auto business, namely trucks and vans. That’s why I am so confident in VIA and proudly serve as Chairman,” added Bob Lutz. With twenty-three EREV vans already made and another three in transit, VIA Motors finally looks ready for primetime.
Offering 40-miles of electric driving range and up to 100 MPG over the course of an average day’s driving, VIA hopes customers will see the long term benefits to electrified commercial vehicles. Unfortunately history has proven businesses are less likely to take the plunge into plug-in cars, though VIA is hoping to finally reverse that trend.
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