Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. has been awarded a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to produce all-electric, zero emissions commercial trucks
as part of a nationwide project to test performance in different climates and locations.

The grant will support the purchasing and deployment of the vehicles to Smith's customers, as the government provides incentives to reduce the cost of commercial vehicles. Customers that will purchase and distribute the trucks include AT&T, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Frito-Lay, Kansas City Power & Light, Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Staples, which were presented with the keys to the first U.S. Smith Newtons last week in an event on the National Mall.

Smith has recently opened a new production facility in Kansas City, Mo., to work on its new electric vehicle fleet. The grant will go toward new equipment and hiring new manufacturing employees.

"This project is an endorsement of the electric commercial truck industry and begins to provide the resources needed to quickly increase production volume, which in turn will lower costs, increase demand and create more jobs," said Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith. "We have the potential today for tens of thousands of electric trucks in the fleets of corporate America. This demonstration fleet will allow major corporations to evaluate the technology at greatly reduced cost, which we expect will rapidly accelerate the shift from trial phase to volume orders."

The electric trucks run on lithium-ion batteries and a 120-kilowatt electric motor, with a recharge time of six hours. The vehicle can reach a top speed of 50 mph and a range in excess of 100 miles on a full charge. Emissions-free and noise-free, the Smith Newton works by reclaiming electric energy during stop-start urban operations, through regenerative braking. The Newton is also the first commercial all-electric truck to achieve new vehicle emissions certification in California, the company says.

The grant program supports demonstration fleets of the Smith Newton and a Battery Electric Vehicle version of the Ford Transit Connect, which is built through a partnership with Ford Motor Company.

More info: www.smithelectricvehicles.com