Zeus displays Terex all-electric bucket truck at ACT Expo

Zeus Electric Chassis Inc. is showcasing an all-electric bucket truck concept for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo 2023 taking place May 1-4 in Anaheim, Calif. The 19,500-lb. GVWR vehicle combines a custom-engineered Reading Truck Classic II service body and a 55-ft.-class Terex Hi-Ranger LT40 aerial device upfitted to a Zeus Class 5 Z-19 Electric Smart Chassis.

The electric bucket truck combines a Reading Truck Classic II service body and a Terex Hi-Ranger LT40 aerial device upfitted to a Zeus Class 5 Z-19 Electric Smart Chassis. (Photo: Zeus)

According to Zeus, its Z-19 platform is currently the only vocational Class 5 chassis awarded a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (EO) qualifying it for the states’ Hybrid and Zero-Emission truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The announcement comes on the heels of the CARB Advanced Clean Fuels ruling last Friday calling for a phased-in transition toward zero-emissions medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

“Fleet transition to electrification is a complex and long-term process, but we can mitigate these impacts by demonstrating solutions that address additional power capacity,” said Jim Steffes, vice president of business development and strategy for Zeus. “High-powered tools draw greater current, often in short bursts, causing additional thermal loads and decreased capacity. Power, payload and performance are equally important to fleets and other industry stakeholders, and we’re working with Terex and Reading Truck to address all of these.”

The Zeus Z-19 as well as the Z-22 are all-electric cab-chassis designed from the ground up to provide a severe-duty solution for vocational fleets transitioning Class 5 and 6 diesel vehicles to zero emissions. Each model is battery powered and includes dual electric motors, all-wheel drive and four-wheel independent suspension. The cab-chassis is configurable to accommodate existing OEM bodies.

Read More: How Zeus helps body builders, fleets go electric without fear

Terex Utilities, which supplied the bucket truck’s aerial device, is no stranger to electric vehicles, having debuted what it said was the industry’s first all-electric 55-ft.-class bucket truck in May 2022.

“As a leader bringing the first EV distribution 55-ft. class bucket truck to the industry, we support Zeus’ development of a super-duty application. When this truck is ready for the market, we expect to be right there with Zeus,” said Joe Caywood, director of marketing and product manager for Terex Utilities. “The Hi-Ranger LT40 aerial device is powered by a Terex HyPower SmartPTO system by Viatec, an ePTO solution that powers the outriggers and all aerial boom functions at 28.8 kwh and is independent of the vehicle power source.”

The Reading Truck Group and the EAVX innovation hub, both J.B. Poindexter & Co., Inc. business units, provided the service body for the all-electric truck on display.

Alongside the bucket truck, Zeus is displaying a Class 5 Z-19 all-electric Marion Body Works box truck, plus the booth will host a team from Pegasus Specialty Vehicles that will discuss its collaboration with Zeus.

“The Zeus Z-19 Smart Chassis is a great step toward electrifying the vocational fleet industry,” said Steffes. “It is exciting to see key industry players collaborating to achieve this goal, and hopefully this is just one of many sustainable solutions that we will see in the future.”