Business Fleet, November/December 2020

WWW BUSINESSFLEET COM 7 BUSINESS FLEET November December 2020 PHOTO COURTESY OF UTILIMASTER Utilimaster a business unit of The Shyft Group has announced its latest production ready purpose built walk in van the Velocity F2 Built on a sub 10000 pound GVWR Ford Transit chassis the Velocity F2 combines fuel efficiency with the cargo space access and load capacity similar to a traditional walk in delivery van Utilimaster has expanded its product portfolio to include this Class 2 purpose built walk in van to meet the growing global e commerce and delivery demand Our vehicle designs have always been a direct reflection of our clients specific needs and shifting industry requirements said Chad Heminover president Shyft Fleet Vehicles Services Right now our customers are asking for a solution that allows them to scale their delivery fleets quickly in light of the ecommerce explosion without sacrificing load capacity or efficiency The Velocity F2 gives parcel delivery fleets the flexibility they need to activate a large driver pool service more customers and maintain longer routes consistent with increased demand Benefits of the Velocity F2 supplementing parcel delivery company fleets include the total cost of ownership and operation is lower than Class 3 6 vehicles drivers of Class 2 vehicles do not need a commercial drivers license to operate and ease of compliance with Department of Transportation DOT requirements Additional features include better fuel economy improved safety HOW DOES A CHEVY BOLT TURN INTO AN ELECTRIC CARGO VAN The Velocity F2 is built on a sub 10000 pound GVWR Ford Transit chassis Adrian Steel and Knapheide offer cargo upfit packages The Rear Seat Delete Package turns this Bolt compact sedan into a small cargo van Utilimaster Launches Class 2 Walk in Vanstep heights lightweight aluminum sidewalls 600 700 cubic feet of cargo space capacity and a payload range of 3700 4300 pounds Utilimaster is taking production orders for large and small fleets now The Velocity is also offered in a Class 3 14000 pound vehicle available on both the Ford Transit Velocity F3 and the Mercedes Sprinter Velocity M3 chassis The 2020 Chevy Bolt EV can now be ordered with the Rear Seat Delete Package which essentially turns the EV into a small cargo van by delivering an additional 94 cu ft for 66 cu ft of total cargo space Thats more cargo space than a Chevy Equinox Sure this wont work with heavy loads and many typical cargo van applications For comparison the 2020 Ford Transit Connect offers 776 to 1232 cu ft of cargo space But for hauling sales demonstration materials trade tools appliance parts and similar this is a worthy entry into commercial vehicle electrification Using a ship thru process fleet customers can choose from two upfit packages Adrian Steel offers a standard Bolt EV Cargo upfit that consists of a crossover style partition and 1 8 inch thick pliable floor mats The Knapheide cargo upfit package is engineered to maximize cargo space and provides the ability to add accessories and organizational solutions Choosing the cargo van package also marries commercial vehicle functionality with passenger car maneuverability and features such as remote start heated outside mirrors and options such as wireless phone charging leather surfaces and premium audio The 2020 Chevy Bolt EV has an EPA estimated 259 miles of driving range on a full charge PHOTO COURTESY OF GENERAL MOTORS PHOTO COURTESY OF GENERAL MOTORS