Atlis Motor Vehicles reveals design of pre-production XT pickup

Atlis Motor Vehicles has revealed the functional prototype XT pickup, a purpose-built 100% electric truck designed to power work. This is the first electric work truck in development with a 300-, 400-, or 500-mile battery that will recharge in less than 15 minutes.

The XT pickup, built on the XP platform, offers a strong base for customization. From service body to flatbed upfits, it can be configured to meet the specific needs of fleet owners, small businesses, and tradespeople, allowing them to bring everything needed to the field.

"We are out to change the work truck market. The goal is to create an electric pickup with the performance characteristics of a 3/4-ton diesel that can quickly be recharged," said Mark Hanchett, Atlis founder and CEO. "We've focused on the design features our target market cares most about – maximizing functionality, storage, capability, and passenger comfort to create the best possible ownership experience."

Exterior highlights
The XT does not require a large engine bay which allows for a downward sloping hood to improve aerodynamics and visibility. It also provides significant vehicle storage, which is critical in a work truck. The front trunk, or frunk, has a spray-on bed liner and offers 18.5ft³ of space, the largest volume of any electric vehicle on the market today or projected to launch in the next two years. It is also equipped with 2 x 110V/30A outlet, a 240V/50A outlet, access to compressed air, and USB-C charging ports.

Atlis

The XT is equipped with a digital mirror system using cameras as well as retractable mirrors. One camera mounted to each side of the vehicle and two screens on the dashboard provide the driver with an unprecedented level of visibility, particularly in dark driving conditions or when visibility is limited.

When the vehicle is turned on, mirrors extend and when the vehicle is off, the mirrors retract to be flush with the body panel.  This provides more clearance around the vehicle. The winged mirrors serve as the turn signal and can fully extend when in tow mode. A heating element is included in the mirror system to alleviate snow and ice and ensure proper function.

The XT has a unique air sprung suspension design with dynamic damping capabilities that adjust to the vehicle load. This helps deliver a consistent and comfortable driving experience every time, regardless of the environment. The air suspension system also assists with loading and unloading the truck by lowering it for easy access.

The XT pickup's bed is available in 6.5ft and 8ft and comes standard with a spray-in bed liner. The bed mounted power outlets host a variety of built-in functionality, including four 120V outlets/30A, two USB A ports, and two USB C ports to allow customers to plug in all ancillary devices while in the field. One 240V/50A hookup will power tools that require a higher voltage, such as a welder. A pneumatic hookup will power any pneumatic tools allowing customers to bring their entire shop into the field.

The XT is equipped with a CCS charge port as well as an AAC/1.5MW charge port on along the front left side of the vehicle. This enables the vehicle to use the existing charging infrastructure and leverage the J1172 port to recharge on a standard 120V or 240V outlet and be able to ultra-fast charge using the AAC port in less than 15 minutes.

Interior highlights
The XT is available in a three or six passenger configuration. The front and rear seats are identical to ensure comfort for all passengers. This also enabled Atlis to leverage one component multiple times to drive economies of scale and reduce cost.

In the dashboard design, side mirrors are replaced by displays placed around the steering wheel, and an instrument cluster display is attached to the steering column for better viewing angles.

A 12.8" center touch display completes the user interface with all vehicle controls for the driver and passengers, and all the main functions are easy to reach. The interface will have customizable soft keys in the center display and on the steering wheel. The center touch display is based on a three-touch principle enabling the customer to get to any function within three touches.

All materials from seats to the dash are aesthetically pleasing but stain, scratch, and rip resistant.

"This is the fourth iteration of the XT prototype, and we plan to start production in late 2022," Hanchett said.  "The team continues to refine the interior and exterior design based on extensive customer and investor feedback. We have the engineering and design expertise, flexibility, and vision to create something completely different to provide customers with an entire ecosystem needed to get their jobs done."

To meet the towing and payload capabilities of legacy diesel-powered vehicles, Atlis is developing proprietary battery technology and a modular system architecture capable of scaling to meet the specific needs of the all-electric vehicle.