Navistar Forging Ahead on Electric-Truck Development

Navistar updated reporters on its latest electric-vehicle offerings — including a new charging infrastructure partnership, new options and applications for its eMV, and a tease of a heavy-duty electric vehicle — during the ACT Expo show in Anaheim, California.

International eMV Series

Last month, International truck and IC Bus electric vehicles passed a milestone of logging 1 million miles driven, said Göran Nyberg, EVP, commercial operations, Navistar. “This equates to a reduction of carbon emissions by more than 800 metric tons.”

The medium-duty International eMV Series was first introduced at ACT Expo in 2021. Since that time, Navistar has worked with the International dealer network and industry partners to grow the number of applications.

“In less than two years, we have partnered with customers to expand the original box truck application of the eMV Series into electric bucket trucks, mini mixers, stake dumps, utility vehicles and more,” said Debbie Shust, VP, medium-duty truck business. “Now, we are proud to provide ePower and electric power take-off options for customers that utilize the vehicle’s battery to provide power to other parts of the vehicle.”

More Applications with ePower and ePTO

The International eMV Series now has factory-installed ePower and electric power take-off (ePTO) electrical system options available. These electrical system options mean fleets can spec the International eMV Series for more applications.

The ePower electrical system option pulls power directly from the electric vehicle's battery pack and is the foundation for electric transport refrigeration unit (eTRU) applications.

“We worked in close collaboration with transport refrigeration unit providers and leading food transport service fleets, including Performance Food Group, to develop and bring this solution to market,” said Shust.

The ePTO electrical system option pulls power directly from the vehicle’s battery and uses an electric motor to convert power for other systems on the truck, such as a boom or concrete mixer.

Electric utility and telecommunications equipment provider Altec has taken delivery of the first eMV Series truck with a factory-installed ePTO electrical system to operate a pilot distribution bucket truck. Altec has also committed to ordering additional International eMV Series trucks with the ePTO option for upfit and sale to its utility customers in 2023.

Partnerships for an Electric Future

In addition to working collaboratively on the ePower, Navistar and Performance Food Group are focused on a long-term zero-emissions future.

“Trusted partnerships are critical to success while on our journey to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility,” said Chet Ciesielski, vice president, on-highway business, Navistar. “We are committed to supporting customers for all use cases, including the development of a Class 8 battery-electric vehicle. We look forward to working closely with PFG to explore eMobility solutions for Class 8 products.”

Quanta Partnership for Charging Infrastructure

Navistar announced a new partnership with integrated infrastructure solutions partner Quanta Services to provide International Truck and IC Bus customers with a comprehensive vehicle and charging infrastructure solution.

An infrastructure and energy transition solutions provider, Quanta is also the largest specialty electric power grid infrastructure solutions company in North America, according to the announcement. It provides engineering, construction and maintenance services, as well as power and infrastructure assessment, for electric vehicle charging and related infrastructure.

“Our electric vehicles are only as strong as the grid that powers them,” said Mathias Carlbaum, president and CEO, Navistar, in the announcement. “The differentiator of this partnership is Quanta’s ability to complete site construction and utility work. This allows our team to offer the customer a one-stop-shop approach to all aspects of an EV transition.”

The partnership with Quanta will capitalize on Navistar’s three-step approach to delivering fully integrated eMobility solutions: consulting, charging and deployment.

“It all starts with consulting,” said Trish Reed, vice president, zero emissions, International, during a news conference at ACT Expo in Anaheim, California. “It starts with consulting, to understand the customer’s needs, with calculations on where and how to best electrify their fleet: Where are potential charging sites? What are the power sources? What number of chargers are needed?”

From there, Reed said, International can help guide fleets through funding and financing, including tax rebates, incentives and grants.

“Our goal is to have the charging and infrastructure in place and ready to go when the vehicles arrive,” she added. “We want this to be a seamless process for our customers.”

Reed explained, “it’s partnerships like these that allow the eMobility transition to happen faster. This partnership ensures the long-term success of our customers with their power solutions by helping customers partner directly with utilities, assisting in power requirement analyses and sourcing responsible energy.”

Navistar also works to determine hardware and charging depot locations for each individual fleet. When EVs are ready to be deployed, connected technology plays a large role in ensuring the best-use cases and optimal operation.

With reporting from Jack Roberts

Check out this On the Spot video walkaround of the International eMV from 2022: