Electric fleets just got a serious boost, thanks to a unique bit of revived technology that promises to make charging faster, cheaper, and easier to deploy.
Orange EV, a leader in electric terminal trucks, has recently unveiled its Orange Juicer, Electrek reported. Yes, that is actually the name.
Funny title aside, this piece of tech allows electric vehicles to have battery-integrated DC fast charging that could eliminate one of the biggest headaches in switching to electric: slow and expensive grid upgrades.
When innovative startup FreeWire folded last year, its battery-buffered charging tech seemed destined for the scrapyard. But Orange EV saw its potential and brought it back to life under a new name.
The system uses a built-in lithium-ion battery pack that can trickle-charge the EV from a standard power source, where it can rapidly discharge up to 200 kilowatts of energy. In plain English, that means fleets can deploy DC fast charging without costly electrical infrastructure or years-long utility delays.
"As more customers accelerate adoption of Orange EV trucks and electrify other site equipment, we've seen infrastructure upgrades cause serious holdups," Orange EV founder and president Kurt Neutgens said to Charged.
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That speed is critical for companies shifting to electric trucks. Many fleet operators face delays of months or even years waiting for grid capacity upgrades. The Orange Juicer sidesteps those issues, enabling new charging stations to be installed and operational in just weeks.
"In a two-shift operation over a 10-year period, our customers are experiencing a $500,000 benefit per truck," Neutgens said to Freight Waves.
Now, with the Orange Juicer, the setup offers a practical path toward cleaner, more efficient logistics operations.
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Yes 👍 "I think this is a fantastic idea," one reader commented under Electrek's reporting of the news.
"What a name," another said.
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