Electric Vehicles International (EVI), which deals in alternative fuel vehicle development, manufacturing and deployment, has launched an electric vehicle pilot with Frito-Lay North America, which has the seventh-largest privately owned commercial fleet.
EVI's signature all-electric powertrain is seamlessly integrated into an industry standard Daimler Freightliner M2 business class chassis providing customers with significant fuel and maintenance savings. The EVI-MD is the most versatile and flexible Class 6 electric vehicle on the market, boasting a 90-mile range, top speed of 65 miles per hour and a 99 kWh lithium phosphate battery system from Valence Technology (VLNC).
After completing a test of the all-electric EVI Medium Duty (EVI-MD) on a delivery route in Alameda, California, Frito-Lay has committed to purchase five additional EVI-MD vehicles to be used in Northern California.
"EVI is excited to work with Frito-Lay on expanding their fleet of electric vehicles," said Frank Jenkins, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for EVI. "Frito-Lay is a leader in the adoption of zero emission delivery vehicles and is the ideal customer and fleet application for our medium duty, return-to-base trucks."
"Frito-Lay and its parent PepsiCo are regularly evaluating innovative and industry leading approaches and technologies to improve the performance of the fleet, while also trying to minimize the environmental impact," said Mike O'Connell, senior director of Fleet Capability at Frito-Lay North America. "The EVI electric vehicles give Frito-Lay another promising option to help meet our long term goal of being the greenest fleet in North America."
EVI's headquarters and primary manufacturing facility are located in Stockton, California.
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