Electric vehicle startup Orange EV gets its first orders

Orange EV, a startup company making heavy-duty electric vehicles, says it is filling its first orders — for manufacturing and distribution facilities in Chicago.

The financial terms and customer identities were not disclosed, though the buyers might make announcements after the vehicles have been in service awhile.

Orange EV, which has focused on retrofitting terminal trucks with its electric motors, said the orders were an important step after announcing in April that its vehicles were commercially available.

Orange EV, headquartered in Riverside, has focused on retrofitting its electric motors into terminal trucks, which pull loads of freight around such places as railroad yards and distribution centers. Orange EV established that its electric terminal trucks could perform for 24 hours on a single charge, and the orders followed.

The company said it is raising additional capital and expected to increase its production capabilities and hire employees this summer and throughout the next 12 months to meet demand.

“The market is clearly ready for zero-emission electric trucks and Orange EV is the only firm with a zero-emission, plug-in terminal truck” that can meet the demands of moving heavy freight, said Mike Saxton, Orange EV’s chief commercial officer.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Electric vehicle startup Orange EV gets its first orders."