Plug-In Pickup To Be Built By Indiana Based EMC - AllCarsElectric.com

Plug-In Pickup To Be Built By Indiana Based EMC - AllCarsElectric.com: "Electric Motors Corporation has released this teaser photo of its new truck, the Flash, scheduled for a full unveiling in November. The vehicle, to be built with Manufacturing partner Gulfstream Coach at a facility in Indiana, will be constructed using frame and some mechanicals from a Ford F-150. According to Will Cashen, CEO of EMC, “It’s an electric truck with an onboard range-extender generator system. We’ve taken an F-150 and have done something similar to Tesla, where they used a Lotus sports car for the underpinnings of their electric car.'

Like the Chevy Volt the Flash will use an electric motor to drive the wheels, with a gasoline powered back-up generator set to replenish the battery when charge drops beneath a specified level.

According to Cashen “The unique thing about a truck is that [battery] packaging isn’t an issue like it is for cars.” The Flash will have three different battery options: The smallest, least-expensive configuration is expected to get the equivalent of 40 mpg. Adding a second layer of batteries is estimated to get up to 100 mpg and adding a third set, Cashen said, will return up to 250 mpg. The batteries are mounted in-between the truck’s frame rails.

The Flash is expected to tow up to 5,700 pounds and carry up to 1,940 pounds, much like the lighter-duty 4-cylinder version of the Ford F-150 (which was discontinued this year). However, it won’t be able to handle many off-road scenarios. Cashen said it’s primarily designed as an on-road truck.

EMC is projecting a sub $50,000.00 cost per unit, before the $7,500.00 federal tax credit.

A heavier, commercial truck called the thunderbolt, with greater power and battery capacity, is to follow the introduction (in small numbers) of the Flash in 2010."