–
Take some of the tweed-jacket, traditionalist design character of the original Land Rover Series 1 and mix in some of the modern features and comforts of the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and you’re probably not far from what New York State upstart Bollinger Motors hopes to build. Except it intends for it to be purely electric.
–
Most automakers—including fledgling electric-vehicle makers—have started out with a commuter car, a flagship sedan, or a racy sports car for their first EV. But for Bollinger Motors, it makes a lot of sense to apply its electric-vehicle know-how to a rugged, traditional SUV first.
–
Bollinger Motors started in 2014 out of a renovated car-repair shop and is led by Robert Bollinger, a newbie to the auto industry with a varied résumé that includes having worked on an organic hair- and skin-care business. The automaker isn’t looking for outside funding, but it won’t discuss how it plans to raise the staggering amounts needed for all the steps from proper vehicle development through sourcing, certification, and production.
–
So far, Bollinger has teased only a partial side-angle shot of its SUV ahead of its anticipated reveal this July. But in the meantime, the company has revealed a few other details including some locked-in dimensions as well as a preview of the rolling chassis it has engineered that will underpin the SUV and, perhaps, a longer-wheelbase pickup to follow.
–
An Off-Roader at Its Core
–
The 295-pound chassis is built of aluminum but has a high-strength-steel rollover structure. The truck houses all of its core electric components within the chassis rails—with lithium-ion-battery storage under the driver and passenger, high-voltage systems at the middle of the vehicle, and motor systems at the front and rear.
–
–
The truck rolls on BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain 285/70R-17 light-truck tires with high-offset, eight-lug alloy wheels and geared axle hubs that permit the whole suspension to be raised on the chassis. An adjustable, self-leveling four-wheel independent suspension permits 10 inches of wheel travel, and the anti-roll bars can be disconnected to allow full articulation for off-roading. The steering is hydraulically assisted.
–
It’s a good size for off-roading. The wheelbase is just 105 inches—about the same as the Toyota FJ Cruiser, which is much loved by off-road enthusiasts, but nearly 10 inches longer than the wheelbase of the two-door Jeep Wrangler. Approach and departure angles are also impressive, at 56 and 53 degrees respectively, while the breakover angle is 33 degrees.
–
Based on the rolling chassis and the placement of the steering column, we’d venture to say that the production vehicle will have an extremely upright—and perhaps refreshingly retro—driving position.
–
Who’s the target buyer?
–
“Because it will have class-leading off-roading credentials, we think that the vehicle will be well suited for outdoor enthusiasts as well as various government agencies with clean-fleet initiatives,” said chief marketer and spokesman Jeff Holland. The company can reach a break-even point with only modest sales, he argued, adding that it’s “a very standard back-to-basics SUT from a materials and packaging standpoint, which also saves cost.” Pricing is to be competitive with comparable SUVs available today; Bollinger said the company will ask for $ 1000 deposits, fully refundable, when it begins taking orders.
–
Ambitious Timeline, As Rivals Get Ready
–
The company is aiming for first deliveries in 2019 and is starting certification and compliance work on the vehicle this spring, yet how or where the company will produce this truck remains a mystery. It will be built in the United States with what Holland described as “a well-known and established partner with deep experience in building on- and off-road vehicles.” You won’t see Bollinger looking overseas for production locations, either. “It is important to us that the design and engineering—which was started and continues in New York—as well as the manufacturing and production stay right here in the U.S.,” said Holland.
–
The idea of all-electric off-roading might sound good to some but not to others. Conservationists might appreciate how there’s no rumbling exhaust to scare wildlife, no tailpipe to scrape, no oil pan to shear off, and no driveshaft to maim when you’re high centered. On the other hand, off-roading while in need of a charge could bring a whole new meaning to the term “range anxiety”—there are no jerrycans, and there’s no possibility that any AAA charging truck will come to the rescue after you’ve scrambled over a rocky ridge.
–
- –
- Electric Horseman: Workhorse W-15 Plug-In Pickup Planned for 2018
- Tesla Master Plan, Part 2: Semis and Pickups, Solar Roofs, and Car Sharing
- Pickup Trucks 2017–2018: The Best and the Rest
–
–
–
–
Bollinger faces a rather narrow window in which to prove it’s not just peddling vaporware. Its closest rival in the short term could prove to be Workhorse, an Indiana company that is courting the fleet market and has already received a 200-truck order for its all-electric W-15 from UPS. Like Bollinger’s truck, the W-15 isn’t a conversion vehicle and has completely new underpinnings not shared with any other vehicle. There’s also a Tesla pickup in the works—all electric, of course, and anticipated to go on sale in two to three years. And if this proves to be a viable segment, don’t think truck stalwarts Ford, General Motors, and Ram are going to sit idly by. Although now barren, the electric-truck landscape could flourish in just a few years.
–
Car and Driver BlogCar and Driver Blog
