Wabash, Bollinger to develop electric reefer
Wabash is teaming with Bollinger Motors to develop a “stronger, lighter” refrigerated truck body with an electric chassis.
The partnership will combine Wabash’s patent-pending EcoNex composite panel technology with Bollinger’s Class 4 electric chassis cab. EcoNex is Wabash’s next-generation molded structural composite material that is “more durable, lighter, and more thermally efficient” than other commercial products, according to Wabash.
The companies say the newly electrified reefer body features:
- Weight savings due to Wabash’s lightweight EcoNex composite technology
- Electrification of customer fleets utilizing Bollinger’s all-electric chassis cab
- Increased total payload capacity due to lower overall truck weight
- Breakthrough improvement in thermal efficiency compared to conventional design
- Overall cost savings due to weight savings and thermal efficiency
“Wabash’s EcoNex composite technology reduces the amount of electricity needed to maintain cold temperatures,’ said Mark Ehrlich, vice president of new business development at Wabash. “The all-electric truck we’re developing with Bollinger Motors will be highly efficient with more uptime and less charging compared to conventional construction.”
See also: Wabash unleashes Acutherm thermal management
Bollinger Motors, which recently became a majority-owned electric truck company of Mullen Automotive, is a U.S.-based firm founded by CEO Robert Bollinger in 2015 in Oak Park, Michigan. The startup company plans to manufacture all-electric platforms and chassis cabs for commercial vehicles in Classes 4-6.
“I’m excited to help ‘green up’ the journey from farm to table,” said Bollinger, who was inspired to start the company while he owned a farm in upstate New York.
“We’re confident Wabash’s expertise in commercial transportation, combined with Bollinger’s leadership in Class 4 electrification, will deliver a superior product for customers looking to reduce their carbon footprints.”
