Harbinger shows medium-duty plug-in hybrid chassis

Harbinger’s medium-duty hybrid truck chassis. (Photo: Harbinger)

Harbinger Motors, a medium-duty electric and hybrid vehicle (EV) manufacturer, unveiled a series hybrid vehicle for medium-duty fleets during ACT Expo in Anaheim, Calif.

The new model is an electric vehicle with a gasoline-powered engine used as a range extender to charge the battery, allowing for a reported 500 miles of range between charges. Harbinger’s series hybrid vehicle is currently available for pre-orders and the company said it plans to begin deliveries to commercial customers in 2026.

“Medium-duty vehicles serve an incredibly diverse range of applications, just like the fleets and operators that rely on them,” said John Harris, co-founder and CEO, Harbinger. “There are some fleets whose needs simply can’t be met with a purely electric vehicle—and we recognize that. Our hybrid is designed for use cases and routes that go beyond what an all-electric system typically supports. The series hybrid delivers the benefits of an electric drivetrain, along with the added confidence of a range extender when needed.”

The plug-in hybrid platform features a low-emissions 1.4 L inline four-cylinder gasoline engine, with a close coupled 800 V generator and a 50-gal. fuel tank. The range

Harbinger uses a gasoline engine as a range extender. (Photo: Becky Schultz)

extender engine is used to recharge the vehicle’s 140 or 175 kWh battery system, depending on customer selection. Harbinger’s electric powertrain delivers up to 1,140 lb-ft of torque and 440 horsepower. The platform’s 800-volt electrical architecture allows rapid charging at DC fast charger locations, up to 80% in one hour.

Harbinger’s platform was developed for medium-duty vehicles such as delivery vans, box trucks, recreational vehicles (RVs), and emergency and disaster response vehicles. The chassis features all major vehicle systems, including the electric drivetrain, range extender engine, high voltage (HV) battery system, steering, brakes, and numerous additional key components and features.

Harbinger designs, engineers, and assembles the chassis and its components in-house at its manufacturing facility in Garden Grove, Calif. Through its vertically integrated manufacturing process, the company said it keeps costs low and shields the company and its customers from uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

Harbinger’s chassis will be delivered to dealers or customers who work with a third-party to upfit the chassis with a commercial or specialty body, as is standard in the medium-duty vehicle industry.

Harbinger recently named Panasonic Energy as its battery cell supplier. (Photo: Becky Schultz)

Harbinger recently named Panasonic Energy as its official battery cell supplier, and is integrating Panasonic’s best-in-class lithium-ion battery cells as standard in its proprietary EV chassis. Initially, Panasonic Energy will supply Harbinger with battery cells manufactured in Japan, which will be delivered to Harbinger’s headquarters in Garden Grove, Calif. In the near future, the two companies look to localize cell sourcing by utilizing Panasonic Energy’s new facility in De Soto, Kan.

Harbinger said its hybrid chassis has been selected by recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturer Thor Industries, which operates companies including Airstream, Jayco, Tiffin and Thor Motor Coach, to deliver industry RVs.

The introduction of Harginger’s new model comes on the heels of Harbinger’s recently announced build of the first 100 units, a milestone the company said it reached  four years after it was founded in 2021.