Winnebago, Xos Partner to Develop Specialty EV Chassis – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
LOS ANGELES and FOREST CITY, Iowa – Xos, Inc. (NASDAQ: XOS), a leading manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles, and Winnebago, the flagship brand of outdoor lifestyle product manufacturer Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE: WGO), have announced in a press release a partnership and development of a fully electric chassis for Winnebago’s Specialty Vehicles division.
This chassis utilizes proven Xos battery and electronics technology and is customized for Winnebago’s unique commercial applications.
“We constantly seek new ways to enhance our customers’ mission, and our partnership with Xos is an important next step in our efforts,” said Robert Kim, director for Winnebago’s Specialty Vehicles division. “The near-term demand for zero-emission vehicle options from our Specialty Vehicle division continues to grow and we look forward to extending our leadership position using an Xos chassis designed to integrate seamlessly into our manufacturing processes.”
With the delivery of the first chassis, this partnership brings together two industry leaders to provide innovative, fully-electric solutions for the specialty vehicle market. Winnebago’s Specialty Vehicles division has been providing commercial vehicles for over 50 years and has led the market with zero-emissions vehicle solutions, with their first electric vehicle introduced in 2018.
“We are thrilled to partner with Winnebago to move the industry forward,” said Dakota Semler, CEO and Co-Founder of Xos, Inc. “This is a testament to the quality and reliability of our products, and to the customer-centered design approach of Winnebago’s Specialty Vehicle team. This partnership combines the strengths of both companies and positively impacts the communities these vehicles serve.”
The specialized chassis for Winnebago will utilize Xos’ proven SV platform technology allowing for quick scalability, dependable access to parts, continued software improvements, and scalable service support. The chassis is also compatible with Xosphere, Xos’ fleet management software, providing end-users with a comprehensive support system. The use cases for this platform can include but are not limited to, mobile child advocacy centers, medical and dental clinics, blood donation vehicles, and mobile command vehicles. Xos’ electric chassis will underpin Winnebago’s zero-emissions commercial vehicle shells, available in 33’ and 38’ lengths. With an estimated driving range up to 200 miles, this new vehicle eliminates tailpipe emissions, reduces noise, and reduces overall operating costs.
“Our approach to innovation is rooted in embracing change and collaborating across our businesses to create the best possible experiences for our customers,” said Jamie Sorenson, director in Winnebago Industries’ Advanced Technology Group, a project partner. “We are constantly monitoring evolving customer needs and technology solutions and our partnership with Xos represents a significant milestone in our journey into the future of electric specialty vehicles.”
About Xos, Inc.
Xos is a leading technology company, electric truck manufacturer, and fleet services provider for battery-electric fleets. Xos vehicles and fleet management software are purpose-built for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles that travel on last-mile, back-to-base routes. The company leverages its proprietary technologies to provide commercial fleets with battery-electric vehicles that are easier to maintain and more cost-efficient on a total cost of ownership (TCO) basis than their internal combustion engine counterparts. For more information, visit www.xostrucks.com.
About Winnebago
Winnebago brand RVs have been a part of the American outdoor experience since pioneering the category in 1958. Winnebago offers legendary innovation, quality and service across a full spectrum of towable travel trailers and motorhomes ranging from camper vans to luxury Class A diesel pushers. For more information, visit www.winnebago.com. Winnebago is a wholly owned subsidiary of Winnebago Industries (NYSE:WGO), a manufacturer of premium leisure travel and outdoor recreation products under the five brands: Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta. For access to Winnebago Industries’ investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net.
About Winnebago Specialty Vehicles
Winnebago Specialty Vehicles is a division of Winnebago, working for over 55 years to develop unique and customized specialty vehicle applications in diverse domains like mobile medical, mobile opioid clinics and other mobile business applications. Winnebago Specialty Vehicles also designs and develops diverse vehicles for customers with accessibility challenges. With manufacturing operations in Forest City, IA and a nationwide sales and service network, Winnebago Specialty Vehicles specializes in high-performance applications. The division has designed, built and delivered multiple all-electric vehicles to customers across the USA since 2018.
