cars news 10: Thor Trucks, A New Electric Semi-Truck Challenger, Enters the Ring

Back in August, Cummins revealed the AEOS, its first electric semi-truck. A few months later, Mercedes showed off its own electric semi, the E-Fuso Vision One. Then in November, Tesla debuted its version, the Semi. Now there’s another company looking to sell electric semis, Thor Trucks.

Founded last year by Dakota Semler, a young California entrepreneur, Thor’s first truck is called the ET-One. When it eventually goes on sale, the ET-One promises owners a 300-mile range when pulling an 80,000-pound load and a top speed of 70 mph. The base price? $150,000.

For comparison, Cummins says the AEOS will offer a 100-mile range that can be optioned up to 300 miles with additional battery packs. It hasn’t said anything about price, but we do know the maximum payload will be about 44,000 pounds. Daimler, meanwhile, says the E-Fuso Vision One will have slightly more than a 200-mile range and will be able to haul up to 22,000 pounds. Like Cummins, Daimler hasn’t announced pricing yet. Tesla says its Semi will have a 500-mile range and will haul up to 80,000 pounds. Pricing is expected to be between $150,000 and $180,000.

Assuming Thor can actually build and sell the ET-One with the specs it promises and at its target price, it would likely make a compelling alternative for short-haul trucking companies. Then again, as Tesla’s discovered with the Model 3, mass-producing cars and trucks is no easy task. It will also be up against established truck manufacturers like Cummins and Daimler, as well as fellow big rig newcomer Tesla, which is likely better funded than Thor.