America is well-known for its big trucks like the Ford F-150 or GMC Hummer EV, but one automaker taking the opposite approach is now a step closer to releasing its first street-legal vehicle. We're talking about the AYRO Vanish mini electric truck, which just received street-legal certifications for the U.S. and Canada.
AYRO is a brand creating purpose-built vehicles perfect for last-mile delivery, job sites, or even for use on the farm. The AYRO Vanish is a compact electric truck designed and made in Texas and will soon hit the streets in multiple configurations designed to fit a wide array of needs. Imagine something smaller than a full-size truck but bigger than a utility or golf cart.
AYRO's little truck just completed Homologation, which is the process all new vehicles must go through to ensure they meet or exceed vehicle regulations and safety standards set by the NHTSA. To be more specific, it meets the requirements for design, safety, and performance in an LSV (low-speed vehicle), as this isn't your typical full-size truck. Instead, it is a miniature truck similar to the smaller vehicles found all over Europe and Asia.
As you can see, AYRO has multiple options for the U.S. market. The modular design means customers can choose from a flatbed, pickup truck with sides for improved hauling, or a van box layout. Remember that the Vanish is limited to 25mph and can go around 50 miles per charge, so it has specific usage scenarios.
In a recent press release, the company explained how its lightweight architecture limits the vehicle weight and maximizes payload perfect for commercial fleets. Then, CEO Tom Wittenschlaeger said, "These tests are essential to ensure vehicles meet rigorous safety requirements and comply with our national governing bodies. Now that our award-winning Vanish has passed these tests for design, safety, and performance, we are one step closer to delivering vehicles to our customers and dealers."
The neat little AYRO Vanish went up for pre-order earlier this year and will eventually arrive for around $33,900. And while that's not cheap, specific industries will get more than their money's worth. This is just one of many steps the company needs to take before shipping trucks to customers later this year.