Harbinger Motors says its EVs will beat diesel trucks in price by end of year
Harbinger Motors, a startup building medium-duty electric commercial vehicle chassis, has just opened its manufacturing facility in Garden Grove, CA, with an aim to deliver the first upfront cost-competitive medium duty EVs by the end of this year.
We headed over to Harbinger’s grand opening for its new facility to have a look at their technology and their big plans to shake up the medium duty market. It’s new Garden Grove facility is the first EV manufacturing plant in Orange County, CA – Rivian and Hyundai have headquarters here, but manufacturing is elsewhere.
The company is still quite new – it was only founded in 2021, and has a team of about 100 people total. But that team includes plenty of EV experience, with executives and engineers who formerly worked at Coda, Faraday Future, Canoo… and, of course, Tesla. Most notably, Harbinger’s Chief Production Officer is Gilbert Passin, who led Tesla’s production efforts in setting up its Fremont factory at the beginning of the Model S ramp.
The goal is as you’d expect – to disrupt and electrify the medium-duty commercial market, specifically in the class 4-6 range of vehicles. These classes cover a large variety of vehicles, like walk-in vans, bucket trucks, beverage delivery, school buses and so on. And these vehicles do a lot of miles, use a lot of gas, and make a lot of pollution, often specifically in places where people live – so the potential gains for electrification are high (which is a big reason why California recently released big new truck regulations).
But Harbinger’s model is a little different from other entrants in the space. These types of vehicles can be sold as finished vehicles, as chassis-cab combinations, or as a stripped chassis. In the latter two cases, buyers will go to an upfitter to build their desired solution onto the vehicle chassis.
Harbinger is focusing on delivering stripped chassis, rather than finished vehicles or chassis-cab combinations. This allows for greater flexibility and simpler manufacturing for the company itself, and given that buyers are often going to need an upfitter anyway, there’s no sense in building up a whole vehicle when this way buyers can get exactly what they need.
To this end, Harbinger has recently delivered its very first customer chassis, to THOR Industries, an RV maker (and contributor to Harbinger’s Series A investment round). It was delivered to Thor’s Innovation Lab, to explore how electric chassis could be implemented into the company’s product design.
At its grand opening, Harbinger showed off several alpha versions of its chassis, and its in-house designed motors and battery packs. The company uses a modular battery pack structure, with each pack holding 35kWh and chassis being configurable with 2-6 packs depending on application and length (wheelbase options go from 158″ to 208″). Packs are filled with standard 2170-sized cells from a top automotive cell provider (Harbinger wouldn’t tell us which one, but we did see some shipping labels on some crates in the battery area…).
In-house design of components is an important distinguisher for Harbinger, which it says will help keep costs down. By building its own battery packs, its own driver-assist systems, using drive- and steer-by-wire – all of this means Harbinger says it will be able to offer lower prices than the competition.
In fact, it claims that not only will it start delivering the final product by the end of this year, but that it will deliver EV chassis with “zero price acquisition premium” over equivalent gas and diesel-powered chassis.
This is quite the claim – so far, we usually have a hard time even getting any price quoted from medium and heavy duty vehicle manufacturers. This is often because, well, they’re usually quite high in upfront cost compared to diesel vehicles. Due to lower long-term fueling and maintenance cost (Harbinger says its motors will last 450k miles) many businesses can save money long term with an EV, and economics are only getting better over time – but Harbinger isn’t promising lower longterm costs, it’s promising lower upfront cost as well.
Now… part of this is due to recent incentives. The Inflation Reduction Act includes a $40,000 incentive for commercial vehicles, which certainly does a lot to bring the economics into balance for buyers (and note: diesel vehicles still benefit from the massive subsidy for ignored pollution costs). But even with all of that taken into account, Harbinger’s price-equivalence would be a first, and a first by a longshot, as far as we can tell.
Not only does Harbinger promise to be price-competitive with gas and diesel, it also says it will offer similar payload capacity. Harbinger told us that, in the 4-pack configuration, its vehicle is lighter than a Freightliner MT55 diesel chassis.
In the world of cargo hauling, payload is important – if you can carry more weight you can make more money, at least if you’re “scaling out” your capacity (as opposed to “cubing out,” filling up the vehicle’s volume with lighter goods). So losing out on payload to a bunch of batteries can be a no-go for some haulers, but Harbinger says you won’t have to make that decision.
The 4-pack is estimated to offer somewhere around 165 miles of range on a 140kWh battery pack. This is more than enough for a lot of applications, but due to its modular design, Harbinger can offer configurations with less range (for campus or other low range vehicles, for example) or with over 200 miles of estimated range for the larger 5- or 6-pack options. Of course, range depends highly on use case, upfit solutions, how much you’re hauling, and many other factors.
Harbinger also wants to bring more driver assistance into the medium duty space. It’s not making any promises about automated driving (we couldn’t get them to say anything more than level 2, which is what nearly all consumer-available systems operate at these days), but it does want to add electronic aids to monitor driver attention and the surroundings of the vehicles, both to avoid accidents and potential loss of goods. It’s designing its own systems for this, detecting and tagging objects, and selling ADAS kits along with its vehicles that it will instruct upfitters how to install and calibrate.
All that in-house design means it won’t have to purchase solutions and pay extra margins to other providers – but it also means a lot of work for a small company, especially one that wants to start delivering by the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
This isn’t the first we’ve met the Harbinger team, as we saw them last year at ACT Expo and had a quick drive around the parking lot in an early demonstration vehicle. And this drive was fine, the truck worked, it had been running for hours with lots of drivers, and felt about as we expect an electric medium duty vehicle to feel (that is, better than the diesel version – more nimble, more quiet, more clean).
But at the time and now, we were skeptical of Harbinger’s big claims. It’s not that we have any particular reason not to believe them, except that the claim of price parity from a startup when nobody else has even gotten close are extraordinary. And extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, so we have to wait and see. If they can follow through on them, it will be a revelation.
And there is plenty of talent within the ranks with EV industry experience. Some of it comes from famous failures like Coda and companies that have never quite got off the ground like Faraday Future, which we can optimistically hope has helped provide warnings about overpromising. And what Harbinger is promising isn’t that crazy, it’s just a commercial van – but the price still seems hard to deliver.
But the presence of Gilbert Passin as Chief Production Officer, who led the early stages of bringing Tesla into the volume manufacturing business with the Model S, certainly lends a lot of credence. Passin most recently headed up Wrightspeed, Tesla co-founder Ian Wright’s attempt to electrify garbage trucks, and has previously worked at several large traditional automakers as well.
So we remain quite interested in what Harbinger has to do, and if they deliver on these promises, it will be a Really Big Deal™. We just wouldn’t be surprised to see them slip a little… but even if they do slip, the product could still be a solid offering anyway.
One last thing to note – at the event, Harbinger parked 5 food trucks inside the huge factory building. This was neat and provided a lot of food options, but between the vehicle exhaust driving in and out, and the smoke coming out of the BBQ truck, my eyes and nose were starting to hurt by the end of the event, to the point where I sheltered myself in the battery area of the factory (which has its own separate climate control) for respite.
Wouldn’t it be nice if those medium-duty commercial trucks had an option to avoid exhaust in similar situations? I wonder where we might find an option like that…
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As Texas braces for tighter power margins and record demand on the ERCOT grid, Sunrun and NRG Energy are transforming home batteries into a giant virtual power plant. The two companies are integrating more home battery storage into the grid and tapping those batteries when the state needs power the most.
The solar + storage provider and energy company announced a new multi-year partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption of distributed energy in Texas, with a focus on solar-plus-storage systems that can be aggregated and dispatched during periods of high demand. The idea is simple: use home batteries as a flexible, on‑demand power source to help meet Texas’s rapidly growing electricity needs.
Under the deal, Texas homeowners will be offered a bundled home energy setup that pairs Sunrun’s solar and battery systems with retail electricity plans from NRG’s Texas provider, Reliant. Customers will also get smart battery programming designed to optimize when their batteries charge and discharge. As new and existing Sunrun customers enroll with Reliant, their combined battery capacity will be made available to support the ERCOT grid during times of stress.
“This partnership is a major step in achieving our goal of creating a 1 GW virtual power plant by 2035,” said Brad Bentley, President of NRG Consumer. “By teaming up with Sunrun, we’re unlocking a new source of dispatchable, flexible energy while giving customers the opportunity to unlock value from their homes and contribute to a more resilient grid.”
Sunrun, which has one of the largest fleets of residential batteries in the US, will be paid for aggregating the capacity, and participating Reliant customers will be compensated by Sunrun for sharing their stored solar energy.
The arrangement gives Texas households a way to earn money from their batteries while also improving grid reliability in a state that continues to see rapid population growth, extreme weather, and rising electricity demand.
Read more: The US’s first residential V2G power plant is running on Ford F-150 Lightning trucks
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Volkswagen is gearing up to launch a new family of affordable EVs, starting with the ID.Polo. Can it fill the shoes of the popular low-cost hatch?
Volkswagen announces ID.Polo EV range and more
The ID.Polo will be the first of four new entry-level electric vehicles that Volkswagen plans to launch, starting in Spring 2026.
The electric Polo “marks the beginning of a new generation of Volkswagen,” the brand’s CEO, Thomas Schäfer, said. The Polo is one of the best-selling VW models of all time, and its electric successor promises to build upon its legacy.
It will be the first “ID” model to bear an established Volkswagen name. Although it’s about the same size as its predecessor at 4,053 mm long, 1,816 mm wide, and 1,530 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,600 mm, the Polo EV offers more interior space.
Thanks to its compact drive modules, the electric Polo offers an extra 19 mm of interior length, which is “particularly noticeable in the rear.”
The luggage compartment is 24% larger than the classic Polo, with 435 L, up from 351 L. Folding the rear seats opens up 1,243 L of load volume, up from 1,125 L.
According to Volkswagen, the electric ID.Polo is “more versatile than any of its predecessors,” making it the perfect EV for getting around the city or as an everyday driver.
The Volkswagen ID.Polo will initially be available with three power outputs: 85 kW (114 hp), 99 kW (133 hp), and 155 kW (208 hp), while a sporty GTI variant will follow later in 2026 with 166 kW (223 hp).
The 85 kW and 99 kW versions will be equipped with a 37 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, while the 155 kW and 166 kW versions will be powered by a 52 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery, which Volkswagen said will deliver up to 450 km (280 miles) WLTP driving range. It will also support DC charging speeds up to 130 kW.
Based on a new MEB+ platform, Volkswagen promises that the new, highly efficient electric drive will reduce costs and energy consumption.
The new PowerCo unified cell uses cell-to-pack technology, combining cells directly into the battery pack. Volkswagen said the new design reduces costs, saves space, and unlocks more range while increasing energy density by about 10%.
VW’s MEB+ platform will also introduce new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features, including a drastically improved Travel Assist. The ID.Polo will also be the first VW model to offer traffic light and stop sign recognition.
Can it live up to the task?
According to Autocar, which got the chance to test a prototype, the ID.Polo “feels remarkably like the current Polo. Switch from the petrol Polo into this and, a lack of engine noise aside, you would barely notice the difference.”
The reviewer, James Attwood, said the electric Polo delivered a “genuinely impressive ride for a car of this size,” adding it “drives and feels like you’d expect a Volkswagen to.”
With an affordable price tag, “the ID.Polo should be a strong all-rounder among the pack of small EVs suddenly battling for attention,” Attwood explained.
“It has a classically Volkswagen feel, poise and maturity, and blends a pleasingly mature driving experience with decent practicality and a reassuringly solid feel,” he said, adding, “A Volkswagen that feels like a Volkswagen, then. For that alone, it should be a winner.”
Others who got an early taste of the ID.Polo reported similar thoughts, including Auto Express, which said it “shows VW at its best.”
“Solid, well connected, comfortable and even quite engaging to drive, the ability to build all of this into a well-priced package is something we all hoped for; the surprising bit is how much of VW’s innate ‘character’ has come through,” Jordan Katsianis said after testing the pre-production prototype.
The ID.Polo will launch in Europe in Spring 2026 with prices starting from 25,000 euros ($29,500). It will be the first of four new affordable Volkswagen EVs, followed by the ID.Cross SUV and the smaller ID.1 electric car.
Although Volkswagen has yet confirm it, the ID.Polo is (sadly) not expected to launch in the US. It’s an affordable electric car aimed at Europe’s growing entry-level EV segment. Given the recent policy changes under the Trump administration and America’s love for big trucks and SUVs, don’t expect to see the electric Polo successor in the US anytime soon.
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BYD offered a first look at its new flagship electric SUV and sedan, claiming the new EVs redefine high-end standards.
BYD preps to launch new flagship EV sedan and SUV
With over 480,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold in November, BYD is coming off its best sales month of 2025. With new technology and vehicles launching across multiple segments, the company expects momentum to pick up in 2026.
That will include a pair of high-end flagship EVs, the Seal 08 sedan and Sealion 08 SUV. BYD confirmed the names for the first time on Monday alongside teaser images revealing the silhouette of each.
According to CarNewsChina, both models are set to debut in the first three months of 2026 and will feature BYD’s latest tech and software.
Both models are based on the Ocean S concept BYD revealed in April at the Shanghai Auto Show, featuring its latest design theme, Ocean Aesthetic 2.0.
Although China’s MIIT released a sales license for a BYD vehicle named the Seal 08 earlier this year, it launched as the Seal 06 EV this summer.
At 4,720 mm long, 1,880 mm wide, and 1,495 mm tall, the electric sedan is about the size of the Tesla Model 3. It’s offered with 46.1 kWh or 56.6 kWh battery packs, delivering a CLTC range of 470 km and 545 km, respectively.
Although BYD has yet to reveal prices or any other details, the Seal 08 is expected to deliver a longer driving range with added power.
Local news outlet 163 claims the new Sealion 08 will be 5,040 mm long, or slightly bigger than the Tesla Model Y-sized Sealion 07 SUV.
The new flagship SUV and sedan will join other BYD Ocean Series models, including the Seagull, Dolphin, Seal, and Song Plus.
Although November was BYD’s best sales month of the year, growth has slowed in 2025. BYD’s chairman and president, Wang Chuanfu, told investors (via CnEVPost) that the company’s biggest advantage lies in its advanced technologies, including next-gen batteries, smart driving features, charging, and other related EV tech.
“I say our technology isn’t sufficiently advanced now because we have major technological announcements coming, but I can’t disclose details at this time,” Wang said earlier this month.
BYD is also aggressively expanding overseas to drive growth. Last month, BYD’s exports surged 325% with a record nearly 132,000 vehicles shipped overseas.
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