US Specialty EV Maker Automate Manufacturing of Blue Arc EV Truck – CleanTechnica

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Blue Arc EV Solutions is the electric vehicle division of The Shyft Group, a North American specialty vehicle manufacturer with over 50 years of experience in custom chassis and truck body construction. The company has developed a commercial electric delivery van designed specifically for last-mile logistics operations.

Product development

The Shyft Group entered the electric vehicle market by designing a commercial EV chassis from the ground up rather than adapting existing platforms. According to the company, this approach allowed engineers to address specific requirements of delivery fleet operations, including driver ergonomics, vehicle durability, and operational efficiency for high-frequency use.

The Blue Arc vans incorporate lightweight materials, including aluminum and composite components. The company states these vehicles achieve a driving range exceeding 220 miles and offer increased payload capacity compared to conventional delivery vehicles. The design assumes vehicles will return to central depots for overnight charging, reducing reliance on public charging infrastructure.

The Shyft Group has reported securing an initial order for 150 vehicles from a major delivery company, though the customer has not been publicly identified.

Manufacturing infrastructure

The Shyft Group implemented Rockwell Automation’s Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform as the digital infrastructure for Blue Arc production. This Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system manages the manufacturing processes for the electric vehicle line.

The Plex platform digitized several key operational areas, including supplier order management, parts inventory tracking, financial process monitoring, and production workflow coordination.

According to The Shyft Group, the system enabled the company to move from initial EV concept to functional prototype in approximately nine months. The platform provided centralized, real-time access to production data, which the company credits with accelerating its development timeline.

The system also managed the transition from prototype development to manufacturing-scale production. By establishing digital controls during the initial vehicle builds, the company created what it describes as a scalable production framework capable of supporting larger commercial orders.

The Shyft Group received the Plex Innovator Impact Award in 2023 for its implementation of the manufacturing platform in the Blue Arc production process. The award recognizes companies that demonstrate innovation in applying Plex’s manufacturing software.