KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City-based Orange EV, the leading heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) truck manufacturer in the United States, has announced that it will be expanding into the Canadian market. The move is in response to increasing demand for the company’s trucks, which are better for operations and the environment, as the global trucking industry understands the benefits of electric yard truck fleets.
Orange EV’s Canadian expansion comes after the company announced plans to move to a larger production facility in the US in Q2 2023. The new facility will be able to produce up to 1,800 terminal trucks per year in single-shift operations. Orange EV’s trucks eliminate harmful diesel emissions while providing operational savings and increased uptime.
To lead Canadian operations, Orange EV has hired Roberto Bragagnolo as its Country General Manager. Bragagnolo, who has over 23 years of experience working for Siemens, has most recently served as GM of Finning, the world’s largest Caterpillar dealer. He has also spent two years with Export Development Canada working on global trade across clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
The company’s Canadian division, OEV Canada Inc, is based in Toronto and is now operational. In addition to providing vehicles for purchase, the company will also be providing in-country service and parts support.
Yard trucks are used to move trailers and containers at distribution centers, manufacturing plants, warehouses, rail intermodal sites, ports, and other facilities where goods movement is essential. Commercially deployed for more than seven years, Orange EV’s matched-pair solution of trucks and chargers offers a more reliable and cost-effective solution to traditional diesel units, achieving payback often in less than three years in heavy-use operations, even without incentives.
“Orange EV has long anticipated this expansion in Canada, and with the company’s proven presence in cold-weather markets such as Minnesota, western New York, and already in Ontario, it’s a natural move that will benefit North American customers and the environment alike,” stated Country GM Roberto Bragagnolo.
“Orange EV’s mission is to be a leader in the effort to positively impact climate change on a global scale, manufacturing heavy-duty EVs that are a superior financial and operational choice,” said Orange EV co-founder and CTO Kurt Neutgens. “Canadian fleets have been telling us they want to experience the Orange EV difference, and with $100,000-per-truck discounts through Canada’s incentives for Medium-and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicles (iMHZEV) program now available, demand has rapidly intensified.”
