Smith Electric Vehicles, a builder of medium-duty commercial EVs that was profiled in the January/February 2013 issue of Charged, plans to form a joint venture with strategic partner and investor FDG Electric Vehicles, an EV and battery manufacturer listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The new JV will offer a combined portfolio of EVs and fleet electrification solutions in several segments, including the Smith Newton commercial truck, as well as both Smith and FDG powertrain components.

The JV will contract exclusively with Smith for product development services, vehicle manufacturing, service and support, and with FDG for the supply of lithium-ion batteries and SKD kits.

Smith and FDG have collaborated to develop a commercial native EV platform in the 12,000 to 16,500 GVW range. The vehicle will be offered in multiple configurations, including cab/chassis, step-through van, and transit. It will complement the existing Newton platform, which is currently offered in the 14,000 to 26,000 GVW range.

“We are seeing all of the indications that the market that we helped establish has now turned the corner from the R&D phase to the commercial phase,” said Smith CEO Bryan Hansel. “The new company leverages FDG’s ground-up commercial all-electric vehicle designs and its electric vehicle manufacturing facility, which can produce up to 100,000 vehicles per annum, as well as Smith’s 12 million miles of commercial vehicle experience to offer a complete fleet electrification solution.”

Source: Smith Electric Vehicles
Image: © Alex Nunez (used with permission)