LAS VEGAS—Motiv Electric Trucks unveiled Argo, its first-ever fully integrated EV cab-chassis design on the opening day of the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo.
Available in multiple configurations, the medium-duty Argo supports dock height to lower-profile applications and a wider range of truck body lengths for work site vehicles (short dump trucks and aerial lifts), walk-through delivery trucks (step vans), dry freight or refrigerated trucks up to 30 feet long, and buses.
“Overnight, we’ve moved from a company primarily serving a narrow slice of the $20 billion medium-duty truck market to one that can serve nearly that entire market,” Scott Griffith, Motiv Electric Trucks CEO, said. “The launch of Argo is a transformational moment for our company as we can now offer more vehicles and options to help more fleet customers meet their sustainability goals.”
Argo’s design incorporated learnings from Motiv's 15 years and 4 million miles of vehicles on the road and was informed by substantial customer participation and feedback. The result is a new truck that is energy efficient, safer for pedestrians and drivers, and offers the highest payload of any medium-duty electric vehicle.
See also: Motiv Power Systems delivers 5 electric step vans to Shasta Linen Supply
Among the many benefits of the Argo series are:
- Heavier payloads, farther: Argo trucks haul up to 14,000 pounds of payload and can drive up to 200 miles. The cab’s lightweight composite structure, coupled with the Aries LFP battery co-developed with Our Next Energy, provides fleets with industry-leading range and payload, all without requiring a commercial driver’s license.
- Safety for everyone: Argo’s safety-focused design begins with an emphasis on visibility. Forward command seating, low beltlines, larger windshield, and a low curbside window provide drivers with more direct views of their surroundings to keep pedestrians safe. Front and rear cameras and optional e-mirrors offer additional visibility enhancements.
- A truck that drivers love: Designed for operator heights ranging from 4’11” to 6’3”, Argo was built to maximize accessibility and thus expand the pool of potential drivers. A heated captain seat with adjustable lumbar support and armrests enables better driving posture, improving vehicle control while reducing fatigue. Intuitive navigation, climate control, cup holder, and device charger ports are within arm’s reach for everyone, minimizing distractions. The 6’3” interior allows drivers to step in, stand up, and stretch and offers ample storage space and room for one or two optional jump seats.
- Superior uptime and durability: The Argo platform provides superior durability and uptime at a fraction of the weight of other electric medium-duty trucks. Built-in partnership with TPI Composites, the Argo cab uses advanced structural composite materials and processes that provide dramatically higher corrosion and impact resistance, better repairability, and stronger structural integrity. Motiv’s robust Gen 6 technology features the Motiv Smart Hub, which improves reliability by reducing cables and replacing wires with circuit boards. The Argo has superior service access from within the cab to expedite maintenance, empowering fleets to spend more time en route.
- Energy optimized: Energy optimization is everywhere in the Argo cab’s composite structure, which provides superior insulation compared to metal cabs. Other energy-saving features include built-in microwire heat on the windshield to save on defrosting energy and seats heated and cooled with specially designed airflow.
- Compatible with 14-foot to 30-foot truck bodies. The Argo comes in wheelbases ranging from 178-inch to 252-inch. Available in a dock-height configuration with standard 295/75R22.5 tires or a lower-profile height with 245/70R19.5 tires, Argo works in almost any medium-duty application.
- Diesel-equivalent torque: Argo's patented motor and controller, co-developed with Nidec, offers torque comparable to a Class 8 diesel and motor performance similar to an 800V system, all using a 400V system compatible with all DC fast chargers.
Motiv has developed, manufactured, and deployed electric step vans, box trucks, and shuttles to businesses for the last 15 years. More than 300 vehicles have been on the road, collectively driving 4 million miles and delivering approximately 240 million pounds of goods. In 2023, the company’s electric trucks collectively achieved a 98% uptime, according to company diagnostic data.
“We’ve come a long way from the early days of the electric truck industry—every year we see substantial improvements in uptime and performance coming from design improvements we’ve developed hand-in-hand with customers,” said Jim Castelaz, Motiv’s founder and chief technology and revenue officer. “Many fleet customers have been impressed with the simple design of our new Gen 6 architecture, which includes less copper, better cable routing, easier service access, our patented smart hub, and reliable software. This apparent simplicity took years for us to optimize and now our customers can finally reap the benefits.”
