Commercial EV manufacturer Harbinger has unveiled a new medium-duty, low cab forward (LCF) vehicle that is available in either an electric or plug-in hybrid configuration.

The new HC Series Cab is designed to deliver enhanced maneuverability, driver comfort, safety and operational cost savings. It doubles as a mobile power station to deliver sustained power for tools and equipment on the job site for prolonged periods.

The HC Series Cab has a 26,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). It can be upfitted with a variety of bodies, including cargo boxes, stake beds, flatbeds and more. The LCF architecture enables longer cargo boxes on shorter wheelbases, allowing fleets to increase usable cargo volume without increasing overall vehicle length.

Commercial EV startups have dropped like fruit flies over the last few years, but Harbinger CEO John Harris told Charged that his five-year-old company’s sales have been growing every quarter (read our January in-depth interview with Harris). He attributes the company’s success to specialization and vertical integration. Harbinger sells only stripped chassis in Classes 4, 5 and 6, a market in which today’s electrification technology is fit for purpose and cost-effective, and Harbinger faces little competition.   

Unlike EVs that are retrofitted from combustion engine platforms, all of Harbinger’s trucks are built from the ground up on the company’s vertically integrated electric architecture. Harbinger’s electric chassis includes all major vehicle systems, which the company designs and manufactures in-house, including the powertrain, battery system, steering, brakes and more. “This vertically integrated approach keeps costs low and provides a higher-performing, safer, and more durable solution than electric vehicles built upon legacy diesel and gasoline platforms,” the company explains.

Harbinger’s range-extended hybrid platform uses a gas engine to recharge the batteries, extending range up to 500 miles, depending on upfit configuration and drive cycle. The vehicle can also recharge its batteries while parked without external power. The platform supports full power take-off (PTO) functionality to operate hydraulic and body-mounted equipment. Harbinger is introducing an onboard AC inverter option that delivers up to 15 kW of exportable power on both EV and hybrid models, enabling crews to run external tools and job site equipment directly from the vehicle.

“The HC Series Cab represents a major expansion of our product line and a defining moment for the medium-duty industry,” said John Harris. “For too long, fleets have had to compromise between payload, maneuverability, range and onboard capability. We engineered this platform to outperform legacy diesel options while unlocking new advantages through electrification and our range-extended hybrid system to enable real work in the field.”

Source: Harbinger Motors