Harbinger, a medium-duty electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturer, has unveiled a series hybrid vehicle for medium-duty fleets. The model is an electric vehicle featuring a gas-powered range extender that charges the battery, enabling an estimated 500 miles of range between charges.
“Medium-duty vehicles serve an incredibly diverse range of applications, just like the fleets and operators that rely on them,” said John Harris, co-founder and CEO, Harbinger. “There are some fleets whose needs simply can’t be met with a purely electric vehicle, and we recognize that. Our hybrid is designed for use cases and routes that go beyond what an all-electric system typically supports. The series hybrid delivers the benefits of an electric drivetrain, along with the added confidence of a range extender when needed.”
Harbinger’s hybrid chassis is also being used by recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturer THOR Industries to deliver RVs with up to 500m of range.
The plug-in hybrid platform features a low-emission, 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine, with a close-coupled 800V generator and a 50-gallon fuel tank. The range extender engine is used to recharge the vehicle’s 140kWh or 175kWh battery system, depending on customer selection. Harbinger’s electric powertrain delivers up to 1,140 lb-ft of torque and 440hp. The platform’s 800V electrical architecture enables rapid charging at DC fast charger locations, up to 80% in one hour.
Harbinger’s platform, also known as a stripped chassis, features all major vehicle systems, including the electric drivetrain, range extender engine, high-voltage (HV) battery system, steering, brakes and numerous additional key components and features.
Harbinger recently named Panasonic Energy as its official battery cell supplier and is integrating Panasonic’s lithium-ion battery cells as standard in its proprietary EV chassis. Initially, Panasonic Energy will supply Harbinger with battery cells manufactured in Japan, which will be delivered to Harbinger’s headquarters in Garden Grove, California. The two companies are looking to localize cell sourcing by using Panasonic Energy’s new facility in De Soto, Kansas.
The chassis and components are designed, engineered and assembled in-house at the manufacturing facility in Garden Grove. Through its vertically integrated manufacturing process, Harbinger says it is able to keep costs low and shield the company and its customers from uncertainty surrounding tariffs.
In related news, ZF recently unveiled a next-generation electric range extender system that it says will go into production at the start of 2026. Click here to read the full story.