Saving its big announcement for the ACT Expo tradeshow floor, Daimler Truck Group announced the launch of a line of electric trucks in the U.S. market under the new brand name — RIZON. Velocity EV, a subsidiary of Velocity Vehicle Group, will provide a comprehensive sales and service network for these products in conjunction with approved dealers.
According to the OEM, RIZON’s identity is rooted in the brand’s commitment to form a partnership with business owners as they venture into new horizons during their shift to zero-emissions transportation. Fleet owners and truck drivers will be fully supported through an experienced dealership network, which includes a range of services that will result in a seamless customer experience, as well as consulting on AC and DC charging, telematics access, and financing from Daimler Truck Financial Services.
“RIZON trucks offer a cost-effective, zero-emission solution for the fast-growing medium-duty segment, and fleet operators will benefit from our deep customer-focused relationships, combined with our knowledge of incentives and regulatory compliance,” said Brad Fauvre, president of Velocity Vehicle Group. “The California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Fleets Rule, for instance, will require fast action among our California-based customers to transition to electrification, and Velocity is in a prime position to deliver economic sustainability with affordable and flexible financing options.”
Velocity intends to begin appointing dealers for RIZON in areas outside of its existing service territory, with the goal of providing a seamless network across the nation. Demonstration vehicles will be available to test drive at select Velocity Truck Center locations in Q3 2023, with customer deliveries beginning in late 2023.
“Velocity is as an ideal U.S. distributor partner for the new RIZON trucks given their team’s extensive eMobility experience, market reach, and familiarity with customizing battery-electric vehicles to suit their customers’ operational needs,” said Andreas Deuschle, the Daimler Truck Group’s global head of the RIZON Trucks brand. “The Daimler Truck Group’s battery-electric technology has been road tested for more than five million miles by commercial fleet operators around the world and has received high marks for maneuverability and efficiency.”
Three model variants, the e18L, e16L, and the e16M, will be the first trucks available under the RIZON brand and will include a mix of configurations and options suitable to each customer’s requirements. The Class 4 and 5 medium-duty battery-electric vehicles, ranging from 15,995 to 17,995 lbs. in gross vehicle weight, have a range of 110 -160 miles (for L size variant with 3 battery packs) and 75 -110 miles (for M size variant with 2 battery packs) on a single charge*. These trucks are ideally suited to a variety of applications such as dry vans, flatbeds, landscape dumps, and reefers. All RIZON vehicles are built using proven quality assurance standards developed by the Daimler Truck Group and in practice at more than 40 manufacturing locations around the world.
The new RIZON trucks will also feature advanced passive and active safety systems to help safeguard drivers, passengers, and the communities in which they operate, including Daimler Truck’s safety technology such as Active Brake Assist and Active Side Assist. RIZON trucks are capable of being charged by two types of battery charging systems, Level 2 AC Charging and DC Fast Charging.
With this initial product selection, RIZON trucks will target businesses involved in urban retail logistics, last-mile deliveries, and municipal work, and they will be distributed starting in Q4 2023 by Velocity EV.
