Glenn Saint, formerly deputy CEO at Optare, has taken up the role of Technical Director at a new venture, Charge R&D, Transport Engineer reported.
The company is promising a ‘revolutionary range extended electric truck and bus chassis.’
Charge R&D, based in Enstone, Oxfordshire, said it is developing electric drivelines for commercial vehicles ranging from 2.5 to 26 tonnes and claims these drivelines will cut carbon fuel usage by a factor of at least three, compared to diesel designs. The company said it has ‘substantial financial backing’ from new international investment firm Kinetik, and stated that its new development would be ‘game-changing,’ offering low cost and high scalability.
Glenn Saint stated that the firm’s new drivelines, which begin testing this month, will come to the market at a price which is comparable to a conventional carbon fuel solution, excluding the battery.
He said: “We believe there is a real opportunity for a low emission truck and bus range-extended electric platform that is a revolutionary departure from current chassis designs in layout and low weight, with a high degree of zero emissions capability.
“It will be financially attractive to operate without external incentives, while offering operators advanced features new to the commercial vehicle sector.”
The prototype, now entering track testing, is a proof of performance engineering demonstration truck.
Glenn said that Charge R&D will sell its new technology to both truck and bus manufacturers, and added that several OEMs and investors from Europe and Asia have already expressed an interest in the technology.
