Meritor Inc., a Troy-based global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking, aftermarket, and electric powertrain solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets, announced an equity investment in SEA Electric Holdings Pty Ltd., a leader in commercial electric vehicles for urban delivery and logistics headquartered in Los Angeles.
“This collaboration with SEA Electric gives us another path to apply our expertise in electrification solutions for the medium-duty market,” says Chris Villavarayan, president and CEO of Meritor.
SEA Electric currently partners with commercial vehicle OEMs, dealers, operators, and upfitters to deliver a range of zero-emissions trucks with remote mount electrification solutions to the medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicle market. The company is on schedule to deliver more than 500 electric commercial vehicles this year and plans to have more than 15,000 vehicles on the road by the end of 2023.
“Meritor’s investment will help us to accelerate global sales efforts and strengthen the delivery and distribution transportation segment for vehicles that operate in urban and metropolitan areas,” says Tony Fairweather, president and founder of SEA Electric. “We are excited for Meritor to join us as a strategic investor and shareholder.”
In related news: Meritor announced today it will provide electric drivetrain sub-systems for Cedar Park, Texas-based Hyliion for its Hypertruck ERX electrified powertrain for Class 8 trucks.
The powertrain system will feature Meritor’s Blue Horizon 14Xe ePowertrain integrated drive axles as the standard position propulsion and regeneration hardware on Hyliion vehicle upfits. The Hypertruck ERX provides a long-haul powertrain solution capable of operating in all-electric mode.
“Being selected as a long-term partner to power the Hypertruck ERX is extremely exciting,” says Villavarayan. “We pride ourselves on providing innovative technologies and this is a perfect fit for such a game-changing vehicle.”
Meritor’s 14Xe ePowertrain for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles will be produced in Asheville and Forest, N.C.
“Like Hyliion, Meritor is committed to providing industry-leading, zero-emissions transportation solutions, and is a strong supply partner to deliver on this goal. Meritor’s expertise in electric drivetrain technology is an exciting addition as the Hypertruck ERX moves forward along its path to commercialization,” says Thomas Healy, CEO of Hyliion.
