Workhorse Group’s growing fleet of electric delivery vehicles has reached a significant milestone. The company recently announced that its commercial EVs have collectively surpassed 20 million miles driven on electric power alone, marking a major achievement for the manufacturer’s efforts in electrifying commercial transport.
Workhorse and Motiv may not attract the same level of attention as some larger EV startups, but their vehicles are actively operating in real-world commercial environments. Last week, the company confirmed that its commercial electric fleet crossed the 20-million-mile threshold, a noteworthy accomplishment considering that most of these vehicles operate as last-mile delivery vans.
The milestone follows the formation of the new Workhorse Group, which emerged after a $105 million merger between Workhorse and Motiv Electric Trucks late last year.
The merger brought together more than just research and sales operations. It also combined the cumulative mileage logged by both companies’ electric vehicle fleets. Together, those fleets have now driven over 20 million miles using fully electric powertrains. That number becomes even more impressive when considering the demanding duty cycles typical of last-mile delivery vehicles.
“Twenty million miles is a significant threshold which reflects not only the quality and performance of our vehicles, but the trust that our many repeat customers have placed in Workhorse.
“Every day our vehicles safely and reliably transport the goods, packages, and people that are the lifeblood of our economy, all with zero tailpipe emissions and pollution, helping to make life better for everyone along the route.”
The company’s milestone was reached through the operation of roughly 1,100 commercial electric vehicles currently in service. A large share of those miles has likely been accumulated by the company’s W56 vans and vehicles built on the EPIC4 platform, which includes trucks, buses, and shuttle vehicles used in a range of commercial applications.
Additional insight into the operational performance of these vehicles has come from Stables by Workhorse, an independent logistics provider owned by the company that operates as a delivery contractor for FedEx Ground.
Stables runs a mixed fleet of internal combustion and battery-electric vans throughout the year in Ohio. By operating vehicles under real working conditions, the company gathers valuable data on reliability, maintenance, and efficiency for electric delivery vehicles used in daily service.
Motiv, and now Workhorse Group following the merger, is one of those companies that quietly continues pushing forward in the commercial EV space. The company took a substantial gamble when it first launched in 2009, and it doubled down on that risk more recently by developing its own proprietary cab and chassis platform known as the Argo.
However, beyond the engineering effort, it is the broader perspective expressed by the company that stands out. Motiv has frequently highlighted the health and environmental benefits associated with replacing fossil-fuel-powered trucks with electric alternatives.
“Poor air quality caused by fossil-powered trucks disproportionally affects low-income communities and communities of color, as pollution is found in higher rates near highways, warehouses and ports, where these communities abound. Long-term exposure to poor air quality causes increased death rates attributed to cardiovascular diseases and has been linked to lung cancer.
Additionally, children who grow up in areas with high levels of pollution show reduced lung function, increased rates of asthma and lower IQ levels in their teens. Each electric mile our customers drive helps reduce these public health issues, for the benefit of everyone along the route.”
When vehicle manufacturers begin acknowledging the long-term impact that fossil-fuel transportation has had on communities and public health, it adds another dimension to the transition toward electrification. For companies like Workhorse and Motiv, the focus is not only on building electric trucks but also on addressing the environmental and social consequences associated with traditional freight transportation.
As the industry continues evolving, milestones like 20 million electric miles demonstrate that commercial EV fleets are already playing a practical role in reducing emissions in everyday logistics operations.
