An all-new startup automaker, Bollinger Motors, has revealed its first vehicle ever: the all-electric B1 Sport Utility Truck.
Revealed at an event in New York City, the B1 is looking to innovate in the pickup truck segment by using electric power to work hard and play hard off road, and on paper, its numbers are impressive.
“We are so thrilled to be able to finally take the wraps off of our Bollinger B1 SUT,” said Bollinger Motors’ founder and CEO, Robert Bollinger. “This is the culmination of what has been a 40-year-long boyhood dream of mine and I couldn’t be more pleased with the vehicle and the incredible team who worked so hard to create it.”
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At first glance, the B1 has an imposing stance, using a classic three box design, with ‘box’ being the key term. The B1 is the embodiment of square styling, reminiscent of an H1 or even G-Class, though it is smaller than both, sitting at 150 inches in length, 76.5-inches wide and 73.5-inches tall.
To keep weight in check, the B1 uses an all-aluminum chassis with a high-strength, low-alloy steel roll cage to make sure things stay intact if things go belly up. It total, it weighs 3,900 pounds, a relatively low weight for a vehicle with big heavy batteries.
When it comes time to leave the pavement, the B1 sounds formidable. It has an approach angle of 56 degrees, a departure angle of 53 degrees and a break over of 33 degrees for starters. It clears the ground by 15.5-inches and rides on a self-leveling hydro-pneumatic suspension system which allows for the 10 inches of wheel travel. The sway bars will also be disconnectable for full articulation when needed, and there are locking differentials in the front and rear.
Grabbing the ground are Mud-Terrain LT285/70/R17 tires, attached with eight lug hubs and portal axles allowing the suspension to tuck up underneath the B1 neatly.
And what makes the B1 uniquely capable off road is its low center of gravity thanks to the battery storage system located at the bottom of the truck between the chassis rails. That should help it stay planted to the ground, and don’t worry about the batteries, they are designed to withstand up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
Those batteries provide 360 horsepower and 472 lb-ft of torque, which thanks to the instant delivery time of electricity, will drive the truck to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 127 miles per hour. The dual-motor powertrain uses a motor in the front and rear to power all four wheels at all times.
For payload, the truck can handle an enormous 6,100 pounds, with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds.
Buyers will have a choice between a 60 kWh and 100 kWh battery packs, providing a total driving range of 120 miles or 200 miles respectively. As for charging, the B1 will be able to use 110V, 220V or Level 3 DC Fast charging, though the release doesn’t mention charging times.
Thanks to the electric powertrain, the B1 is also a portable energy source. It has 100-volt plugs throughout to power equipment or tools along with a USB and 12-volt integrated into the dash.
On the inside, Bollinger went with a minimalist interior that can be hosed down for clean up when you’re done getting muddy. Exposed aluminum is used for style, while all the necessary gauges and controls are nestled around the driver on the upright dash. A column mounted shifter allows the B1 to be shifted.
At the center of the dash, a small 14-inch pass through door is fitted for access to the front trunk, which also allows you to store long 12-foot boards in the fully enclosed truck.
A few creature comforts are built in, like an AM/FM Radio, Aux input, and Bluetooth.
Bollinger is currently in talks with third-party manufacturers to build the B1.
“While we’ll be announcing pricing and manufacturing targets later this year, the business case for the B1 makes sense at a very realistic and modest production number and at a price point of a nicely equipped sport utility vehicle,” said Bollinger. “When you factor in this vehicle’s superiority over the other choices on today’s market, we think we have a winning combination.”
Bollinger is targeting deliveries within 19 months of finalized manufacturing plans. A direct-to-consumer sales strategy will be employed at first, though Bollinger is considering moving to a dealership setup.
Anyone interested in the B1 today can down $1,000 to reserve one starting in early 2018.