Lucas Bell 
If electric vehicles are ever going to take off in the United States, someone is going to need to start selling electric trucks. Tesla Motors has been floating the idea around for a while, but we haven’t heard anything truly tangible about the product. It’s given the chance for so-called legacy automakers to begin pushing that way, with Ford investing over $500 million in the EV start-up Rivian to help with the development of a battery powered F-150, but the time table is still a few years out. The problem is, EV buyers don’t just want an electric version of a gas powered vehicle, and truck buyers won’t want to buy an EV if it’s not absolutely undeniable. This is where the Bollinger B1 electric SUV and B2 electric pickup truck may come into play.
Located just outside of Detroit, Bollinger Motors is on a mission to produce electric pickups and SUVs right here in the United States. Founder and CEO Robert Bollinger set out to “reinvent trucks, not just electrify them,” back in 2015. He realized that his traditional gasoline powered truck wasn’t up to the task on his farm, and decided to build a truck without compromise. The company is still in its early days, but their latest Bollinger B1 and B2 beta prototypes bring a lot more to the table than their vintage off-roader looks.
Both the Bollinger Motors B1 SUV and B2 pickup feature a dual motor system, with one in the front and one out back, mated to a 120 kWh battery pack. Total output for the two motors is a whopping 614 horsepower 668 pound feet of torque. Thanks to their 4,789 pound curb weights, the Bollinger trucks are able to tout a power to weight ratio of just 7.8 pounds per one horsepower. That is enough shove to propel the trucks from 0-60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 100 mph. The B1 and B2 aren’t just concerned with speed however, as the trucks’ most impressive hardware comes in to play off-road.
Thanks to an in-house designed two-speed high/low range gearbox, the B1 and B2 can put good use to all of that power in low traction situations. The Bollinger products feature 15-inches of ground clearance and 10-inches of wheel travel thanks to a set of trick helical geared axle hubs. To put it in perspective, the legendary Hummer H1 came with 16-inches of ground clearance. The end result is 10 to 20-inches of variable ground clearance, which is quite a lot. Like the Hummer, both the Bollinger B1 and B2 feature 11.75-inch 4-wheel anti-lock inboard disc brakes, to again help with maximizing off-road capability.
Bollinger doesn’t want you to think that the B1 and B2 are simply off-road play things either. If you decide to load up the back of your American made electric truck, you have a 5,201 pound payload capacity at your disposal. That is quite a figure when you consider that the current Ford F-150 has a maximum payload capacity of (only) 3,270 lbs. Hook up a trailer to EV’s hitch and it’s ready to tow 7,500 pounds.
Visually, the Bollinger B1 and B2 beta prototypes provide a rugged vintage style that neither Tesla nor Rivian (nor the new Land Rover Defender) have yet to deliver. We love the old school style (dare we say, some Ford Bronco vibes?) mashing perfectly with new age tech, plus the expansive glass roof. The tough looking design could at least break the ice for hard core truck and SUV enthusiasts, and we really dig the performance figures. While it might not be getting the headline grabbing deals like Rivian or as proven as a Ford truck, we think that Bollinger Motors has a promising future right here in Detroit.
Information regarding pricing figures, manufacturing and production timing will be announced in the coming months. For now, enjoy the gallery below.
