The surge in electric trucks continues – with two more contenders unveiling heavy-duty trucks.

In the wake of the Tesla, Nikola and Cummins offerings, another Californian startup has launched a fully-electric regional haul tractor unit….which it says can run at a 36-tonne gross combination weight, with a range of 480 kilometres on a single charge.

Thor unveiled a streamlined, futuristic ET-One prototype, but says it aims to partner with established truckmakers – Thor providing the electric powertrain (and possibly the bodies) on their chassis and all other components.

Which is the same approach being taken by EMOSS, with its LPG or CNG range-extended electric regional haul tractor unit, based on a DAF.

The Dutch company is already established as a leading integrator of its electric drivelines into the chassis of truckmakers' production models. It was, for instance, the supplier of three electric refuse trucks recently purchased for use in New Zealand by Waste Management.

Now it's unveiled a lineup of EMOSS E.V.E.R. (electric vehicle with extender range) trucks, topped by a tractor unit which it says has a 50-tonne GCM and a 480-kilometre range.

With over a decade of experience in electric mobility, including its own electric powertrain development and integration expertise, EMOSS already partners bus and truck manufacturers.

The Allison 4500 automatic-equipped truck has a 120 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack and a liquefied petroleum gas-powered electricity generator to recharge the battery and achieve its maximum range.

The company says that the Allison auto is key to the driveline, providing torque multiplication to reduce demand on the electric motor and the battery pack.

It also enables the electric motor to operate within the optimal efficiency range for a larger portion of the drive-cycle, reducing energy consumption, extending the vehicle's range and facilitating the use of less-expensive, lighter and smaller components.

EMOSS chief technology officer Martijn Noordam says that the auto enables the truck to haul heavy payloads and tackle steep hills: "For us, the Allison gearbox is the only combination that gets us the right performance.

"Customers who've driven the Allison-equipped EMOSS trucks are 100% happy with them. They never thought a start-stop duty-cycle on a 30% grade was realistic, yet the truck has executed perfectly."

Thor has told US media that the company has its own battery technology but is otherwise using off-the-shelf components and says its truck is purposely designed to feel "familiar" to drivers.

Co-founder and chief operating officer Giordano Sordoni told Heavy Duty Trucking that Thor aims to provide heavy-duty electric truck solutions that are "reasonable and profitable now."

Electric trucks solve many problems for transport operators, Sordoni reckons – with fewer than 20 moving parts compared to 2000 for diesel-engined equivalents…and no exhaust treatment needed.

Thor says its powertrain options range from the equivalent of 300-700 horsepower, with a regenerative braking system and purposebuilt battery packs.