Stellantis, the automotive company, has recently announced a significant agreement in the North American market for electric vans. Merchants Fleet, a fleet management company, has placed an order for 12,500 electric transporters from Ram Truck, a brand under the Stellantis umbrella. The delivery of these vehicles will take place over several years.
The chosen model, the ProMaster EV van, is the American counterpart of the Fiat E-Ducato and is scheduled to be unveiled later this year. This launch will mark the first offering of an electric transporter by Stellantis under the Ram label in North America.
The demand for these new vans appears to be high, as evidenced by the deal with Merchants Fleet. This agreement follows a previous announcement where Amazon, a prominent player in the commercial sector, became the first customer to order the ProMaster EV. Amazon plans to introduce “thousands” of these electric delivery vans onto US roads each year.
Merchants Fleet is demonstrating a similar commitment to electrification as Amazon. In 2021, the fleet management company had already ordered 18,000 electric transporters from General Motors’ brand BrightDrop. It also established a strategic partnership with the commercial EV manufacturer Xos to deploy electric delivery vans.
According to Merchants Fleet, the additional inventory from Stellantis will provide fleet managers with a wider range of short- and long-term EV leasing options, enabling them to explore new solutions. Brad Burgess, Senior VP of Fleet Sales and Strategic Solutions at Merchants, expressed pride in the partnership with Stellantis and emphasized its importance in creating an innovative EV ecosystem for their clients. He also highlighted the exclusive access to EVs and the unparalleled flexibility that this collaboration offers.
Merchants Fleet is recognized as the fastest-growing fleet management company in the country. It specializes in providing flexible financing and service options for organizations seeking to utilize vehicles without the need for ownership.
Hari Nayar, Vice President of Fleet Electrification and Sustainability at Merchants, outlined their decarbonization plan, stating that they have committed $2.5 billion and made reservations and orders for 40,000 electric vehicles. Their goal is to have 50% of their Mobility fleet electric by 2025 and achieve the same percentage for their clients’ fleets by 2030.
Stellantis views the Ram ProMaster EV as a significant contribution to its ‘Dare Forward 2030’ strategy. The Ram ProMaster EV is the first of 26 new commercial electric vehicle launches that will contribute to achieving a 40% zero-emission mix by the end of the decade, according to the Group.
While awaiting the official launch, some insights can be drawn from the Fiat E-Ducato. Fiat Professional introduced this electric vehicle in June 2020, offering it in all body trims. The panel van provides up to 17 cubic meters of cargo space with a maximum payload of 1.95 tons. The E-Ducato’s electric motor generates 90 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque. It can be paired with either a smaller battery consisting of three modules with 47 kWh or a larger battery with five modules totaling 79 kWh.
