Range-Extended Electric Trucks – Is There Potential There?

I just got a notification about a new range-extended EV company, co-founded by GM-legend Bob Lutz, that aspires to raise the capital necessary to manufacture and sell electric pick-up trucks.  The guy sent me the following and asked for my opinion:

VIA (pictured here) employs a streamlined second-stage manufacturing process to integrate its proprietary V-DRIVE™ power train into new OEM vehicles, then sell directly to fleets under the VTRUX brand name. VIA VTRUX deliver up to 40-mile battery range and unlimited extended range, averaging more than 100 mpg in typical daily driving.

I recall moderating a panel discussion at the 2009 Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica, CA, and, from then until now, I’ve had literally hundreds of conversations on the subject of range-extended EVs vs. pure battery EVs. Even after all these years/discussions, I never really drank the Koolaid re: RE-EVs.  Obviously, I see the general customer value proposition, but I’ve never believed that there was a sufficiently large market window here.  And now, going into 2015?  Wow. I really don’t see it.

Even if the entire design, bill of materials, etc., is totally without compare (which is hard to believe), let me point out:

• As the electric-only range continues to improve and fast-charging stations become ubiquitous, RE-EVs become increasingly irrelevant.

• There are 25 million single-family, multi-car homes in the U.S. alone where one car is on the road less than 50 miles per day, i.e., no need for range-extension.

• Until coal ceases to be the least-expensive form of baseload electricity, there is no eco-benefit to EVs generally.  (I’ll grant that most people don’t understand that.)

• RE-EVs are by definition expensive, insofar as they require the consumer to purchase (and drag around) two independent sources of energy.

• Some people will be impressed that Bob Lutz is a founder, but I’m not among them.  Of course he wants to convince the world that his involvement in this 100 MPG masterpiece means that he is a sincere advocate for eco-friendly transportation (check out the video and be prepared to be amazed!), and I have to admit that the man can sell an Eskimo ice; he’s in a class by himself in that respect. But anyone who believes him is something of a chump (sorry to be so blunt). Think of all the time and resources (through an auto career that began in 1963) he’s had to make accomplishments in this direction, and then realize where GM is today, more than half a century later, with its dazzling array of eco-obscenities like the Escalade, the Camaro, and the rest.

Indeed, Lutz’ presenting himself as an advocate for the environment is outrageous.  After all, he’s largely responsible for resurrecting the Fisker Karma, not as a RE-EV, but as a gas-guzzler muscle car. Last year he wrote, “Some ‘greenies’ are already hyperventilating on blogs over the obscenity of converting an ‘earth-friendly’ electric car to gas. What they don’t realize is that their fanatical all-organic-tofu enthusiasm isn’t shared by the bulk of the luxury-car buying public.”

I’m not fanatical, and I’m not hyperventilating; I’m simply observing the obvious: Lutz is a man tragically born without a conscience.

My advice, since you asked for it, is, a ) I believe the product is a non-starter, and, more importantly, b) I know for a fact that your integrity is worth a great deal more than selling a few trucks.