Commercial EV innovator Proterra (NASDAQ: PTRA) builds electric buses, and also provides its powertrain technology to other OEMs under its Proterra Powered business unit. The company’s latest collaboration is with ROUSH CleanTech, a firm that’s involved with several aspects of electrification, including production design, functional performance validation, compliance testing, assembly setup and vehicle second-stage manufacturing.

Under the new agreement, Proterra will supply its battery technology to ROUSH for the development of its next-generation Ford F-650 all-electric commercial truck. ROUSH CleanTech will integrate its control systems and Proterra’s battery tech with Ford’s medium-duty chassis.

The all-electric ROUSH CleanTech Ford F-650 is a purpose-built Class 6 commercial electric vehicle that is available in several configurations, including utility trucks, shuttle buses and box trucks. It will be equipped with Proterra’s H Series battery systems, which are designed for packaging between frame rails. The battery system powering ROUSH’s F-650 can provide 165 kWh of energy, delivering an estimated 125 miles of range and supporting a payload of nearly 8,500 lbs.

Penske Truck Leasing will be the first customer for the new EV, and the three companies will collaborate on continued fleet electrification.

“The goal of the ROUSH CleanTech, Proterra, and Penske collaboration is to remove any and all barriers to help fleets transition to a cleaner future,” said Todd Mouw, President of ROUSH CleanTech. “It’s clear the market is looking for trusted brands like ours to develop innovative technologies while also supporting the entire lifecycle—from vehicle design and development, to infrastructure assistance, after-sales customer support, and more.”

“This collaboration is another step towards a more sustainable future in trucking,” said Paul Rosa, Senior VP of Procurement and Fleet Planning at Penske Truck Leasing. “We plan to deploy and operate these vehicles in multiple markets.”

Source: Proterra