Bollinger Motors caught the off-road industry’s attention with its all-electric B1, a two-door brute with twin motors and scads of rock-crawling torque. Now, the styled-with-a-T-square bruiser will make its home in Detroit.
For now, Bollinger says the move is “pending” according to the company, which didn’t offer more details.
When it comes time to leave the pavement, the B1 sounds like it will be able to write checks it can actually cash. It has an approach angle of 56 degrees, a departure angle of 53 degrees, and a break over of 33 degrees. It clears the ground by 15.5 inches and rides on a self-leveling hydro-pneumatic suspension system allowing for 10 inches of wheel travel. The sway bars can be disconnected for full articulation when needed, and there are locking diffs front and rear.
To maximize utility, the Bollinger B1 has a front pass-through “frunk”, creating an entirely clear shot all the way from grille to tailgate. Since it doesn’t have an engine, no firewall is necessary, allowing the B1 to carry up to 24 2x4s as long as 15’4″ between the front and rear lift gates. Additionally, the rear cargo area can handle 72 sheets of 1/2-inch drywall. Bob the Builder, your truck is ready.
Its creator, industrial designer and entrepreneur Robert Bollinger, originally built a prototype of the vehicle to use as a tool on his farm in rural New York state. Tired of adding ballast to his traditional pickup’s bed to run a snowplow without getting stuck, Robert prioritized 50/50 weight distribution when building the B1. He deemed an all-electric powertrain to be the ticket, installing dual motors making 360 horsepower.
The B1 can go up to 200 miles on a single charge if customers select the larger 100kWh battery. A smaller 60kWh unit will allow the truck to travel 120 miles before needing to be plugged in. The batteries will be mounted low under the floor below the driver and passenger, undoubtedly giving the Bollinger a nice low center of gravity. The company is advertising 360 hp and 472 lb.-ft of torque on tap in the B1.
Like other all-electric machines, a regenerative braking system adds a bit of range by scavenging energy that would otherwise be wasted and dumping it back into the battery. An adjustable, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension sounds like it would be very handy during wheeling.
Tesla has taught us that a great benefit of an all-electric drivetrain is its ability to offer 100 percent of its torque right off the line at zero rpm. On the street, that characteristic provides face-bending acceleration. Off-road, where torque is king and momentum is your friend, it should prove to be an equally useful trait.
We will have feet on the show floor at this year’s NAIAS in Detroit, bringing you all the latest news and up close pictures of the newest off-road machines.
