Fluid Truck, a truck rental platform, is incorporating 600 Lightning Electric vehicles into its fleet, with availability starting in late 2020, according to Lightning Systems, a manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs) for urban commercial fleets.
Fluid Truck’s technology-based platform allows businesses to rent and pick up vehicle from nearby locations 24/7, 365 days a year. Users in major cities across the United States can access vehicles through the Fluid Truck website and mobile application.
“We are excited to work with Lightning Systems,” said James Eberhard, CEO and founder of Fluid Truck. “We have been impressed with Lighting Systems’ capabilities and innovation in the EV space. We believe that electric vehicles will be a great solution for businesses to get the job done sustainably.”
Fluid Truck’s 600-vehicle order calls for an assortment of electrified Ford Transit 350HD delivery vans, Ford E-450 Class 4 trucks and Hino 268 Class 6 trucks. These all-electric, zero-emission vehicles will be deployed in major urban areas across the U.S.
“We are thrilled about this partnership, because it provides a footprint for our commercial electric vehicles that will be available to vehicle operators on-demand, across the U.S.,” said Tim Reeser, CEO of Lightning Systems. “This is an exciting opportunity for both companies due to the rising demand for electric vehicles from commercial customers who have sustainability requirements for their fleets.
“Cities also are beginning to designate ‘zero-emission zones,’ such as those in London and Santa Monica. We see that trend continuing, which will further increase the demand for commercial EVs, including rental vehicles, in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.”
In addition to the vehicles available through Fluid’s rental platform, Lightning Systems said it’s working with Fluid to facilitate trial use and demonstrations with 100 of its own all-electric vehicles in several major U.S. cities. “These vehicles will be a terrific way for users to experience our wide array of vehicles for short-term demonstrations and trial periods,” Reeser said.
Early in his term in 2019, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order to support the state’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. “Colorado’s small businesses rely on the safe and efficient transportation of their goods and services; this partnership unlocks an environmentally friendly transportation option that’s good for businesses and Colorado’s environment,” said Betsy Markey, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “It’s especially heartening to see two Colorado companies pioneering a thoughtful and innovative transportation solution.”
