California based electric vehicle startup Chanje is the latest U.S.-based startup to be backed by Chinese investors. Hong Kong-based FDG Electric Vehicles and partners have invested $1 billion in developing and bringing the Chanje electric truck to market.
Chanje’s first model, the V8070 electric delivery truck, already has volume orders and will be delivered later this year.
“We really see this potential in the middle ground where everything you move in the city can be cleaner and quieter, and we think Chanje has offered that solution,” CEO Bryan Hansel said.
The Chanje (pronounced “change”) electric van, uses unibody architecture, making for a more comfortable ride than body-on-frame delivery trucks. Dual rear wheels help support its 6,000 pound payload, and each rear wheel is driven by a hub motor. Down the center of the Chanje van sits a 70 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
The dual motor system delivers a peak 148 kW and 564 lb-ft (764 N·m) of torque. The Chanje vehicles have demonstrated greater than 50 MPGe fuel economy in city and highway driving when tested by independent third-parties.
The battery pack only gives it 100 miles of range, which according to Chanje that is well within the typical daily driving miles of urban delivery vehicles.
While the price of the all-electric commercial van has not yet been announced, Chanje is targeting first deliveries for this year. The company is targeting corporations with truck fleets in big cities that want a more environmentally friendly option. The trucks will be competitive with gas-powered delivery trucks — if the cost of fuel and maintenance is factored in, according to Hansel.
Bryan Hansel, CEO of Chanje, also announced additions to the executive team:
– Ian Gardner, President – previously The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Duke Energy, Los Angeles Clean Tech Incubator and others
– Joerg Sommer, Chief Operating Officer – previously SVP at Volkswagen, Daimler, Renault and others
– James Chen, VP and General Counsel – previously VP at Tesla, two of Washington, D.C.’s top law firms, the US EPA and other
– Jeff Robinson, VP of Manufacturing – previously Tesla, Ford, Mazda, General Motors and others
– Suresh Jayanthi, VP of Energy Services – previously Schneider Electric and others
Chanje is currently undergoing a site selection process for an assembly facility in the United States which will create both high-quality long-life electric vehicles at scale and American clean transportation jobs. The Chanje search includes multiple states near port facilities west of the Mississippi.
