Lordstown Motors was created last year to purchase an idle General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, and convert the factory to build electric pickup trucks. Lordstown unveiled its Endurance truck Wednesday, ahead of GM's own GMC Hummer EV, and it claims that it will start deliveries in January 2021.
The Endurance borrows some components from the Workhorse W-15, from CEO Steve Burns' previous company. But where the W-15 used a gasoline range extender, the Endurance is all-electric.
The new truck uses in-wheel motors based on technology licensed from Slovenia's Elaphe, but manufactured by Lordstown in Ohio. One motor powers each wheel, giving the Endurance four-wheel drive without any driveshafts or differentials. Mounting motors in the wheel hubs frees up space and helps reduce a vehicle's center of gravity, but also increases unsprung weight, making suspension tuning more difficult.
Together, the four motors produce a combined 600 horsepower. That enables a 7,500-pound towing capacity, but top speed is electronically limited to 80 mph.
Lordstown Endurance
Lordstown estimates a range of over 250 miles, with an estimated efficiency rating of 75 MPGe. Using the 7.0 kilowatt onboard charger, a full recharge takes 10 hours from a 240-volt Level 2 AC source. DC fast charging will also be available, and the truck has a 120-volt outlet that can be used to power tools.
Pricing for the Endurance starts at $52,500, and those interested in reserving an early build slot can place a $1,000 refundable deposit through Lordstown's website.
Unlike other electric trucks, the Endurance is aimed at commercial fleets, rather than retail buyers. Lordstown claims to have received thousands of pre-orders from fleet operators, the most recent being Servpro, which has signed a letter of intent to purchase 1,200 trucks.
Lordstown aims to fill 20,000 orders in the Endurance's first year of production, but plans to ramp up from there. Burns said Lordstown's factory could build as many as 600,000 vehicles a year at full tilt. He previously said the company is considering other models, including SUVs and a mid-size pickup truck.
