Bollinger prices its B1 and B2 electric trucks
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Bollinger Motors, which recently unveiled its electric B1 four-door sport utility truck and B2 pickup, has now attached a price tag to the pair of rugged EVs. They’ll have an MSRP of $125,000.
So what do you get for that price? They’re both Class 3 trucks with a 120-kWh battery good for an estimated 200 miles of range. A full charge comes in 10 hours on a Level 2 charger, or 75 minutes on a DC fast charger. Each has two motors, front and rear providing full-time all-wheel drive, good for a total of 614 horsepower and 668 pound-feet of torque. These EVs can also be used to power tools and equipment in the field, featuring 10 110-volt AC outlets with optional 240-volt output.
They’re equipped to get through rugged terrain, with in-wheel portal gear hubs, 15 inches of ground clearance and a self-leveling, hydro-pneumatic suspension for an adjustable ride height. It has front and rear electronic locking differentials and a two-speed gear box to offer high- and low-range driving. The interior components are sealed, allowing you to hose the interior out and providing peace of mind when fording depths of up to 36 inches. A smooth carbon-kevlar underbelly helps protect the vehicle from rocks and other trail debris.
If you want to see the B1 and B2 in action, here’s a load of running footage from Bollinger:
The two trucks will be able to carry a lot of stuff with them. They’ve got a 5,000-pound payload capacity, and clever cargo solutions. The bed of the B2 pickup is 5 feet, 9 inches, but expands to 8-foot-2 with the cab wall open and the rear seats removed. With no internal combustion engine under the hood, that frunk in both trucks is a large cavity with a pass-through to the cabin and, in the B2, all the way to the bed. As such, the B1 can haul lumber or pipes up to 13 feet long, while the B2 can fit items up to 16 feet long with the tailgate closed.
The trucks also have removable doors, windows, windshield, rear lift glass and roof panels. Those glass roof panels can be replaced with blacked-out aluminum. All four seats are heated and can be upholstered in cloth, leather or vegan leather. Wood floor strips are meant to be removable and customizable. The ones in the B1 and B2 prototypes use wood reclaimed from an old Buick plant and salvaged church pews. While the interior appears very minimalist, with analog gauges and very few electronics, the B1 and B2 come with a Bluetooth-capable eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Bollinger plans to begin production of the B1 and B2 next year, with low volume and hand assembly. It expects the first deliveries to begin in 2021, with the trucks being sold through independent dealers. “We’re going to production with all of the components and features that our team developed from the start; we’re staying true to our DNA” said Bollinger Motors founder and CEO Robert Bollinger. “Our trucks deliver a level of performance unlike anything on the market or coming to market.” The company has begun taking $1,000 refundable deposits at its website.
If $125,000 sounds like a lot to you, you’re not alone. When you look at the capabilities and craftsmanship of the B1 and B2 (and these things are truly impressive machines to see and feel in person), combined with Bollinger’s low-volume approach, it begins to seem a bit more feasible. It seems a little casual to compare the Bollinger trucks’ pricing to the upcoming offerings from Rivian, which seem to be geared more toward a mainstream consumer base than Bollinger’s hardcore off-roaders, but it’s a question we know will be asked by many. To answer the inevitable, the Rivian R1S SUV is expected to start at $72,500 for the cheapest, 105-kWh/240-mile version, though the first ones to go on sale (with larger packs) will start well above $90,000. Initial estimates for the R1T pickup range from prices starting around $70,000 to 90,000 depending on the battery.
Frankly, we hope they’re all successful , and we can’t wait for a chance to get behind the wheel of the next generation of American electric trucks, whether they’re built by Bollinger or anyone else.
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October 24, 2019 at 10:13AM