Alan Perriton, Bob Lutz, Kraig Higginson pose in front of VIA's Extended-Range Electric Truck
Maximum Bob is back. Again. Someone should talk to him about the definition of “retirement.”
Just weeks after General Motors announced that former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz was coming back as a consultant, VIA Motors, a Utah startup, has announced that Lutz would join the company as a consultant. Lutz also serves as an advisor to Lotus.
VIA plans to convert existing pickup trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles into extended-range electric vehicles similar in concept to the Chevrolet Volt.
Lutz, 79, is coming on board to help raise capital for the venture and help establish partnerships with automakers, according to David West, VIA’s chief marketing officer, Automotive News reported.
Bob Lutz just can't do retirement. Now, he's advising a startup electric vehicle company.
“In my long career working with GM, Ford, Chrysler and BMW, I considered the Chevy Volt the most important car we had yet made,” Lutz said. “I am now pleased to join VIA Motors to expand the vision of extended range electric vehicles and help build the next generation of electrified trucks, vans and SUVs. I believe VIA’s extended range electric trucks will be a game changer, and drive the standard for clean, high performance, utility vehicles around the world.”
Click here to read about Lutz rejoining GM.
Light duty trucks and SUVs make up about half of all vehicles sold, yet account for a majority of emissions and oil consumption.
“Trucks have been notorious for poor fuel economy in the past, but when electrified, they can have a much greater impact on reducing oil consumption and emissions than smaller vehicles, while offering a much faster payback,” said Alan Perriton, chief operations officer for VIA Motors, and himself a former senior executive at GM.
VIA is currently buying Chevrolet Silverados for conversion to what it calls VTRUX. It calls the drive system, which it says its own proprietary design V-Drive.
Click here to learn more about VIA Motors.