ALTe Powertrain Technologies, developer of a range-extended plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain for light commercial fleet vehicle applications, has completed a Cooperation Agreement to establish a new commercial vehicle manufacturing Joint Venture with the Henan Benma Company (Benma) in the Henan province of China.
Benma currently produces 20 different models of commercial vehicles for the domestic Chinese market with a production capacity of 300,000 vehicles per year.
The Board at Benma made the decision to team up with ALTe to form a new original equipment manufacturing (OEM) company that will assemble and sell under a new brand nameplate.
The JV will produce a select portfolio of commercial vehicles powered exclusively by plug in electric and hybrid powertrain systems engineered by ALTe. The JV will utilize an existing manufacturing license that was previously granted to Benma.
Target volumes will ramp up to 10,000 vehicles per year and an initial purchase order for 1,000 units has been committed to the JV by Benma. The JV will start with production of a 3 ton light commercial truck in addition to a medium sized bus as quickly as ALTe can complete the application engineering and validation testing.
