Optimal EV and Fontaine Modification to offer light to medium bus and truck retrofit service
By Bradley Osborne - 29th January 2023
Work truck retrofitted with Optimal EV E1-R
USA – In December, Optimal Electric Vehicles LLC (“Optimal EV”) of Plymouth, Michigan announced a partnership with truck modification firm Fontaine Modification Company of Charlotte, North Carolina to retrofit diesel trucks and buses with electric powertrains.
Optimal EV sells its own range of electric trucks and buses based on the Ford E-450 cutaway chassis (the ‘S1’ and the ‘E1’), but it is now offering a retrofit service to operators with diesel vehicles based on the same chassis platform.1 The ‘E1-R’ or ‘E1-Repower’ service will replace the conventional powertrain with a 280-kW (375 hp) motor and a 113-kWh Proterra battery providing over 125 miles (approx. 201 km) of range.
