Dana continues its aggressive expansion into the emerging electric commercial vehicle market, showcasing a new terminal tractor built by Lonestar Specialty Vehicles featuring all-Dana electric components, including an optioned e-Powertrain system as well as a full suite of Dana power management software systems.

The company showed the vehicle at North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta, on Oct. 27, 2019.

Lonestar, founded in 2014, specializes in the final stage assembly and refurbishment of commercial Vehicles and other specialty vehicles. The company uses Dana e-Powertrain systems, which can either be adapted by Lonestar into a vehicle with a non-rolling chassis, or existing diesel-powered vehicles that can be converted to a battery-electric chassis.

In the case of the Lonestar terminal tractor displayed at the Dana booth on the show floor, Jim Kamsickas, president and CEO of Dana, noted that the chassis of the show truck was, in fact, approximately 20 years old, and had been completely refurbished and outfitted with all-new battery-electric technology. He called the truck the “ultimate” example of sustainability and recycling.

According to Mike Wallace, president, Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies, the powertrain on the Lonestar terminal tractor includes the motor, inverter, power electronics cradle and battery systems. Other, non-powertrain systems include full vehicle integration, education and training programs from Dana, which Wallace said allow LoneStar to complete full integration of all the vehicle systems in their own assembly facility.

The Lonestar terminal tractor has a GCWR of 80,000 or 101,000 pounds and will offered in 4x2, 6x2, and 6x4 configurations. The Lonestar SV T22 and S22 models allow 22 hours of continuous operation with a two-hour charge time, Wallace said. The larger T12 and S12 models can operate for 12 continuous hours on and are equipped with DC current fast charging capability.