Bollinger Motors B1 prototype is a dirt-slinging, dust-churning EV sport utility truck
This is what happens when off-road enthusiasts get their nerd on.
You might think that electric drivetrains are just for the car world, but Bollinger Motors is out to change all that with an all-electric sport utility truck, the B1. We got a glimpse of it this week and yes, it's impressive.
It combines the range of a Tesla with the off-road prowess of a Land Rover Defender. Massive ground clearance, aggressive tires and darn-near ridiculous approach and departure angles mean that the B1, on paper at least, is one badass mudder trucker.
The B1 supports CHAdeMO high-speed charging and will be available with a 60 kWh battery good for 120 miles of range or a 100 kWh battery that can stay on the trails for 200 miles. The dual electric motors put out the equivalent of 360 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of instant torque, all the better for scrambling up and over those desert obstacles.
The company plans on building a four-door variant with a slightly longer wheelbase once the two-door B1 goes into production engineering. It also aims to have a pickup truck as well, with an 8-foot bed and the option of a regular or king cab.
Bollinger B1 electric SUV is like a cartoon version of a Land Rover Defender
See all photosOf course, one working prototype built by hand in a small shop in upstate New York does not a production vehicle make. The goal is 10,000-20,000 units with a first delivery sometime in 2019, but Bollinger still needs to find a manufacturing partner to help it reach those numbers.
And while 200 miles of range is nothing to sneeze at, it's still a tough sell for many hard-core off-roaders, who often drive over a hundred miles just to get to their preferred wheeling spot. It's easy to carry extra gas to get you through a trail, extra electricity not so much.
Still, the B1 would be an interesting addition to the EV market and I personally am pretty excited about it. If Bollinger wants someone to take the beastly B1 to the dunes, I volunteer.