Shyft Group completed the acquisition of XL Fleet from Spruce Power.
The deal includes provisions that would retain XL Fleet's technical talent and assume the lease of a facility in Wixom, Mich. It also supports the completion of a pilot development agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense.
"With the ramp-up of EV production in 2023, we welcome the opportunity to integrate talent and discrete assets that will help us charge ahead to meet the electrification needs of our customers," says Daryl Adams, president and CEO of Shyft Group.
XL Fleet's team will be based either in Plymouth, Mich., or at the Wixom facility.
"We are thrilled to integrate this team, equipment and the facility into our growing EV business," says Eric Fisher, senior vice president and general manager of Shyft Innovations. "It's always been part of our plan to expand the team as we move towards production and we feel fortunate that the timing worked out to allow us to bring significant talent in this way. We expect it to help accelerate our build-out capability."
The acquisition is expected to help Shyft move toward production of its Blue Arc EV Solutions line, including a commercial-grade EV chassis and a Class 3 EV walk-in van targeted toward last-mile delivery.
"Blue Arc, which Shyft unveiled at NTEA Work Truck Week last year, brings fleet electrification solutions that leverage our 50 years of experience in last-mile delivery, a noteworthy anniversary which we celebrate this year," Adams says. "The response to Blue Arc's commercial-grade offering has been strong."
The Defense program is part of the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Army's Project Manager Transportation Systems. It will prototype fuel-saving technology for military vehicles, extend the operational range of tactical vehicles, and support troop safety.
