- China’s Windrose has delivered its first Global E700 electric truck tractor to its American customer.
- The 1,400-horsepower Tesla Semi lookalike was handed over to Texas logistics firm Allogic and charging partner Greenspace E-Mobility earlier this month.
- Windrose advertises a 416-mile range with a fully loaded trailer and a full battery.
Chinese electric truck startup Windrose has delivered its first battery-powered Class 8 truck in the United States, the company said in a statement sent earlier this week, according to Reuters.
The first U.S.-bound Windrose Global E700 electric truck tractor was handed over to Texas logistics firm Allogic and charging partner Greenspace E-Mobility through Windrose’s American partner. According to Greenspace E-Mobility, the battery-powered heavy-duty truck will haul cargo on the I-35 binational corridor connecting Mexico and Texas.
Windrose claims that its truck is fully certified across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. It expects approval in Oceania in the second half of this year.
The Global E700 is a direct competitor for the Tesla Semi, which appears to have served as the main source of design inspiration for Windrose. That said, both the Semi and the Global E700 also have to contend with rivals from Freightliner, Volvo, and Peterbilt.
Specs-wise, Windrose’s first commercially available model in the U.S. can hold its own against the best of them. It’s powered by a massive 705-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack that runs at 800 volts. The battery feeds a 1,400-horsepower rear electric motor and enables a 416-mile estimated driving range with a full load.
Charging can be done via an MCS connector, in which case it can accept up to 870 kilowatts, or via two CCS connectors at once. The startup claims a top-up from 20% to 80% takes 38 minutes. In the United States, the Windrose Global E700 is listed at $300,000, but the company claims the truck is eligible for a $120,000 subsidy from the state of California.
By comparison, the Tesla Semi’s 500-mile version, which can be charged at 1.2 megawatts through a single connector, is reportedly priced from $290,000, according to Electrek. Dozens of Semis are already on America’s roads, with more on the way, as Tesla ramps up manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Windrose claims that mass deliveries will begin in the third quarter of this year, when customers who pre-paid 60% of the truck’s price will start receiving their rigs. Standard delivery, for customers who paid a 5% deposit, is scheduled for the fourth quarter.
