VIA Motors, a fledgling retrofitter whose chairman is veteran auto executive Bob Lutz, says it has received EPA certification for a plug-in hybrid van. The company equips vans and trucks with plug-in hybrid powertrains and sells them to fleet buyers.
The certification “validates our commitment to high-quality products and environmentally friendly standards,” VIA Motors CEO Pablo Acedo said during a conference call Thursday.
The Orem, Utah, company has been approved to deliver the newly EPA-certified vehicle, which it calls the eREV Van, to fleet customers across the country. VIA Motors says it has delivered 23 and three more are on the way to customers.
The company retrofits light-duty vans and trucks for fleet customers by integrating its powertrain into new vehicles. The eREV Van, which has been built from the Chevrolet Express, is equipped with up to 40-mile battery range and extended range provided by an internal combustion gasoline engine. The company says the vehicle averages more than 100 mpg in typical daily driving.
“We see our eREV vehicles as an important part of the fleets of the future,” Acedo said in a statement. “This all-important EPA certification validates our concept of integrating VIA’s proprietary powertrain into OEM vehicles to deliver both economical and clean vehicle solutions.”
Lutz added: “If we are going to see mainstream adoption of electric vehicles, the technology must deliver a good return on investment to the largest segment of the auto business, namely trucks and vans.”
VIA Motors is working with the Electric Power Research Institute and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to supply plug-in hybrid vehicles to electric utility fleets as part as a nationwide effort supported by the Department of Energy.
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