Automotive Engineering - November/December 2021 - 15

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Hercules readies Alpha electric pickup prototypes
Hercules Electric Vehicles aims to start
production of its Alpha full-size pickup
truck in January 2023, but the Alpha
won't be the Detroit-based startup's
first product application. " A recreational
boat gets our first deployment with the
same powertrain technology, the same
parts and the same software controls as
the Alpha, " company founder and CEO
James Breyer told SAE Media.
Modular design enables the electric
propulsion system to be used across mobility
sectors, noted Breyer, who launched
Hercules in December 2018. Initial Alpha
prototypes will test a commercially available
single radial-flux e-motor rated at
160 kW (214 hp) and operating through a
10:1 gear ratio. Using the off-the-shelf
motor offers " production quality at the
prototype stage, " Breyer asserted. The
truck is expected to have a towing capacity
of 12,000 lb. (5443 kg).
Power-electronics calibrations enable
the motor to produce 196 kW (262 hp)
for production applications. A dual-motor
configuration is expected to produce
about 550 hp (410 kW) and a four-motor
arrangement will deliver " over 1000
hp with full torque vectoring, " Breyer
promised. He noted that Hercules engineers
investigated in-wheel motors but
The Hercules Alpha full-size electric pickup truck, shown in pre-production form, will feature a
standard solar tonneau cover, a 6-ft. cargo bed and deliver up to 1000 hp and 800 lb-ft.
were " not comfortable " to commit to
the technology.
At launch, the prismatic-type Li-ion
batteries will be housed in two identical
battery cases, each case packaged between
the crossmembers of the body-onframe
Alpha's chassis, one in front, one in
the rear. " That's part of the modularity -
design it once, design it right, then reuse it
to provide an economy of scale in an
economy-of-scope business, " Breyer said.
Hercules' CEO James Breyer
flanks Alpha's drive unit
that includes an electric
motor and an 11.2-kW AC
inverter. Breyer's industry
experience includes CTO
of XL Fleet Electrification
and lead powertrain
development engineer
for the Chevrolet Bolt.
Solid-state batteries coming?
A change to solid-state Li-ion batteries
is possible as early as Alpha's second
production year. Hercules
has an agreement with
startup Prieto Battery,
Inc. that covers two years
of commercial exclusivity
for electric pickup trucks
and large SUVs. Prieto,
based in Fort Collins,
Colorado, has 28 issued
patents covering materials,
process and the architecture
of its advanced
" three-dimensional " solid-state
Li-ion batteries.
Compared to a typical
Li-ion battery's two-dimensional
structure with
three layers of materials
(anode, separator, cathode),
Prieto's solid-state
battery is different, according
to CEO Mike
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Rosenberg. The 3D architecture enables
high power, fast charging, high energy
density, better safety and extreme operating
temperatures, the company
claims. Prieto has demonstrated an operating
range of -30° to 120° C (-22° to
248°F) in laboratory testing.
Prototypes, production plans
The first batch of 20 Alpha prototypes,
scheduled for completion in late 2021, will
undergo vehicle dynamics, cold/hot
weather and other tests. The next batch
of 20 prototypes will be used for durability
and manufacturability evaluations. The
prototype builds will use a yet-to-be revealed
global OEM's chassis and cab; that
same automaker will serve as Hercules'
contract manufacturer. Pininfarina has
been retained for exterior and interior
design work on the production Alpha.
At production launch, Alpha is expected
to have a 350-mile (563-km)
driving range with the four-motor configuration.
" We did about 2,500 hours
of modeling to make sure that we can
hit the driving range target going up a
hill, down a hill, and at different masses, "
said Breyer. Alpha's peak production
volume will be 15,000 units annually.
" Serial production occurs once you
exceed that number and since we're
buying excess manufacturing capacity,
we need to stay around that number, "
he explained. Starting MSRP for Alpha
will be around $100,000, Breyer said.
Kami Buchholz
November/December 2021 15
BOTH IMAGES: HERCULES

Automotive Engineering - November/December 2021

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