Building on its mission to revolutionize the commercial transport sector, eTruck, the family-owned and female-led company based in Omaha, Nebraska, is making significant strides in electric vehicle (EV) technology. Their unique approach to retrofitting existing diesel trucks into electric vehicles is not only cost-effective but also environmentally conscious.
Modular Assembly Line Enhances Production Efficiency
eTruck is now completing its first Class 6 electric box truck and is officially moving into production. The company has developed an efficient modular assembly process, where workers pre-assemble systems in designated bays before testing them on a simulated truck firewall.
“Every day, one installer or assembler can put a system together—and that’s a huge number,” the company said.
One assembly bay will soon be active, with more scheduled to come online soon. Each system is mounted on a proprietary platform that fits directly into existing truck frames using factory bolt holes — no welding, cutting, or drilling required.
“Most people that come, can’t believe it,” he explained. “They raise the hood and there it is — it’s all one. It’s like one giant piece made out of a thousand nuts and bolts. But it’s not that complex. It’s just different.”
Innovative Range Extender Boosts Vehicle Range
A major step forward in eTruck’s Class 6 line is the development of a compact, gas-powered range extender. Unlike their Class 8 hybrid — which utilizes a Rolls-Royce diesel generator — this smaller generator is designed to kick in when battery levels drop, recharging the system as the truck drives.
“It’s pretty simple, quite frankly,” they said. “If you’re running in-town, you’re probably not going to use it. But if you’re going from Omaha to Kansas City, and you’re about a quarter charge short. This would make that up.”
This innovation extends the truck’s range from 100 miles to over 200 miles — well beyond the capabilities of most current Class 6 EVs.
Progress on the ‘Super Semi’
eTruck isn’t stopping at medium-duty vehicles. Their Class 8 “Super Semi,” a long-haul plug-in hybrid electric truck, is well into development. A plug-in-only prototype has already been road-tested, and interest from customers is heating up.
“We have an interested buyer for our first Super Semi,” he said, referring to a California operator. “He said, ‘I’m standing here with a check in my hand… I want to go electric.’ He could get two and a half of ours for the price of one of the others out there.”
The goal? Cross-country electric trucking, coast to coast, with minimal stops.
Flexible Installation and Growing Demand
With flexibility in mind, eTruck offers three installation options:
- On-site support from their engineers,
- Training and video resources for customer-led installs,
- Or installation through a growing network of partners—one with 15-plus service centers across the eastern U.S.
“We’re just trying to make it simple,” he said. “You can have us do it, you can do it yourself, or you can have your people trained to do it. And we make sure every system works before it ships.”
Though the company has yet to launch a formal marketing campaign, demand is already building. eTruck reports multiple interests for straight trucks and semis, emphasizing that they do not accept deposits until they’re confident in production timelines.
Disruption by Design
At the heart of eTruck’s approach is a focus on cost-efficiency and rapid scalability. Instead of building full trucks from scratch, the company retrofits used diesel models with an electric drive system. The entire package — with the customers truck included — costs around $200,000, far below the $400,000-plus price tags of new electric trucks.
“We don’t have to deal with all that other stuff that goes with a diesel engine,” he explained. “One electric motor, two batteries. It’s really that simple.”
With millions of diesel trucks still on the road and manufacturers struggling to meet demand, eTruck sees a massive opportunity ahead.
“Even with seven major manufacturers going full-time, they couldn’t replace all the trucks in 10 or 15 years,” he said.
Looking Forward
The company’s founder, Judy, was recently selected as one of the finalists for a national publication recognizing women leaders in transportation — a fitting milestone for a company that is breaking ground not just with technology, but with leadership as well.
As the demand for clean, efficient transport rises and federal incentives shift, eTruck is carving out a lane of its own — with innovation that’s refreshingly down-to-earth.
“It’s almost too simple,” he reflected. “Sometimes people don’t believe how easy it is until they see it.”
