The Shyft Group announced it has received certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the company’s Blue Arc EV Solutions Class 3, 4 and 5 electric delivery vehicles. According to the company, the EPA test results have revealed the Blue Arc Class 3 all-electric delivery vehicle can achieve up to a 200-mile range based on the EPA cycle test with a 165kwh battery pack.
Shyft says it expects final approval from the California Air Resources Board in the near term. Shyft recently announced a $16-million investment at the company’s Charlotte, Michigan, campus to begin assembly of the electric vehicles in the second half of 2023.
In addition to the range, the Blue Arc Class 3 van received a 45 MPGe combined city/highway rating from the EPA. This means Blue Arc EVs can provide customers with more cargo-carrying capacity and more range at the same time, The Shyft Group notes. The Blue Arc engineering team was able to achieve these results partially by optimizing the chassis and lightweighting the body to create an efficient and high-performing electric delivery vehicle, the company says.