Stellantis scores second large order for incoming Ram ProMaster EV
Stellantis announces a major deal for electric vans in North America. Merchants Fleet has ordered 12,500 electric transporters with Ram Truck, which the Stellantis brand will deliver over several years.
The ProMaster EV van Merchant Fleet opted for is the US counterpart of the Fiat E-Ducato and is set to be unveiled later this year. Once launched, it will be the first electric transporter offered in North America by Stellantis under the Ram label.
And, the new vans appear highly anticipated. Today’s deal with Merchants Fleet follows a previous announcement: Amazon became the first commercial customer for the ProMaster EV, planning to bring “thousands” electric delivery vans onto US roads yearly.
Merchants Fleet is on a similarly bullish electrification course as Amazon. In 2021, the fleet management company already ordered 18,000 electric transporters from General Motors’ brand BrightDrop. It formed a strategic partnership with the commercial EV manufacturer Xos to deploy electric delivery vans, as reported.
In today’s news, Merchants said the additional inventory from Stellantis would allow the company to provide fleet managers with a broader selection of short- and long-term EV leasing options, enabling them to pilot new solutions.
“We take great pride in our partnership with Stellantis, which plays a crucial role in our strategy to create an innovative EV ecosystem for our clients,” said Brad Burgess, senior VP of fleet sales and strategic solutions at Merchants. “This collaboration allows us to provide our clients with exclusive access to EVs and a level of flexibility they simply can’t get anywhere else.”
Merchants Fleet describes itself as the “fastest-growing fleet management company in the country.” It offers flexible financing and service options for organisations that want to use, but not buy vehicles.
Hari Nayar, Vice President of Fleet Electrification and Sustainability at Merchants, summarised its decarbonisation course in an earlier report. “In 2021, we announced our $2.5 billion commitment and the reservations and orders of 40,000 electric vehicles to achieve our goal of having 50% of our Mobility fleet electric by 2025 and 50% of our clients’ fleets electric by 2030.”
Stellantis similarly considers the Ram ProMaster EV a “significant contribution” to its ‘Dare Forward 2030’ strategy. The Ram ProMaster EV is the first of 26 new commercial electric vehicle launches that will contribute to reaching a 40% zero-emission mix by the end of the decade, says the Group.
As for the vehicle, clues may be taken from the Fiat E-Ducato until the official launch. Fiat Professional presented the series EV in June 2020 and made the electric drive available in all body trims. The panel van offers up to 17 cubic meters of cargo at a maximum payload of 1.95 tons. The electric motor of the E-Ducato produces 90 kW and delivers 280 Nm of torque and can be combined with a small battery consisting of three modules with 47 kWh or a larger battery based on five modules with 79 kWh.
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