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At Fully Charged LIVE Canada, one vehicle stood out not just for its looks, but for its promise to revolutionize heavy-duty vocational transport. Enter Edison Motors’ electric logging truck—a rough, ready, and surprisingly refined machine built by truckers who know the logging industry firsthand. Unlike sleek, factory-produced semis, this rig is designed with real-world, off-road demands in mind. It’s what happens when a logging team decides they’re tired of waiting for EVs to catch up with their world—and builds one themselves.
Logging-Specific Design: From the Mountains, For the Mountains
Co-founders Chace Barber and Nigel McCreary bring a combined 15 years of logging experience to the table, and it shows. In British Columbia’s mountainous terrain, where trucks head uphill empty and haul 45-ton loads downhill, regen braking isn’t just a perk—it’s essential. Edison’s system recaptures the energy from heavy downhill hauls, pushing it back into the battery to prep for the next uphill climb. It’s not a perpetual motion machine—but it’s close.
Powertrain: A Hybrid That Works
This truck isn’t fully electric—it’s a series hybrid, tailored for real-world needs. It carries 280 kWh of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, powering two rear electric axles rated at 250 kW each. That adds up to around 670 horsepower at the wheels.
For range and refueling flexibility, a Caterpillar C9 inline-six diesel generator supplements the battery system. With this setup, the truck can run 2–3 hours on batteries alone before the generator kicks in. The result? A plug-in hybrid logging truck that delivers fuel savings of up to 50%, according to field data from Edison’s own logging operations.
Real-World Fuel Savings: Cutting the Bill in Half
In British Columbia, a single logging truck can burn $20,000 in diesel every month. At nearly a gallon per mile (or 80 liters per 100 km), that’s a massive operating cost and environmental burden. By slashing diesel consumption by half, Edison’s truck could save operators up to $10,000 a month—enough to recoup the premium over a conventional truck in just two years.
Battery Placement: Engineered for Abuse
Logging roads are unforgiving. Edison tackled this head-on by mounting their battery packs in the frame rails and protecting them with side guards and air suspension mounts. These air-ride battery housings allow independent movement from the frame, absorbing vibration and frame twist common in off-road conditions. It’s a smart, durability-first design—simple, modular, and built to last.
High-Voltage Cable Protection: Built Like a Processor Head
Anyone who’s run heavy forestry machinery knows how quickly wires get shredded. Edison borrowed from the feller buncher playbook, using abrasion-resistant nylon guard sheathing layered over rubber and plastic loom to protect high-voltage lines. This not only ensures longevity but also acts as a visual wear indicator—if the guard starts fraying, it’s time for inspection. Smart. Preventive. Field-tested.
Weight and Frame Engineering: Zero Compromise
At ~26,000 lbs, this electric hybrid truck weighs the same as a comparable diesel rig. That’s no accident. By using a lighter 9-liter Cat engine instead of a 15-liter diesel, and trimming fuel tank size from 1,200 to 700 liters (or ~80 gallons), they offset the battery mass without sacrificing frame strength. A half-inch single frame rail provides 105,000 psi tensile strength—comparable to a double frame but without the corrosion issues.
Downtime Is Death: Designed for Serviceability
In the logging world, downtime kills profitability. Edison’s team knows this. Every decision—from steel braided air lines to avoiding plastic connectors—is about minimizing failure points. No push-to-connects, no plastic air valves. Just old-school, field-proven fittings that can be repaired fast and cheap. That’s where a truck earns its keep.
They’ve even brought back a few nostalgic touches: an old-school Bendix Westinghouse air brake, a floor-mounted high-beam switch, and a manual air pressure “wig wag” indicator. These elements aren’t just quirky—they’re repairable with a wrench and a couple of bolts. No $400 electronics to replace. Just solid metal and muscle memory.
No Gimmicks, Just Truck
This is not a concept vehicle. It’s not vaporware. It’s a million-dollar engineering prototype, built in six months, rugged enough for BC’s worst logging trails. And it’s already proving itself in the field.
Edison estimates the final production cost will land around 25% above a conventional heavy vocational diesel truck, with pricing in the $700,000 to $800,000 range depending on spec. But that premium is a rounding error when you consider $10K/month fuel savings, lower maintenance costs, and reduced downtime.
Designed for Drivers
Drivers will feel right at home—minus the gearshift. There’s no clutch, no stick, and one-pedal driving is the default. Regen kicks in the moment you lift off the throttle, mimicking the familiar feel of a jake brake. It’s intuitive, efficient, and easier on the body during 14-hour shifts.
Built for Profitability: A Business-First EV Strategy
Edison’s electric logging truck isn’t just an environmental upgrade—it’s a business decision. For operators, every pound saved and every repair avoided translates to direct bottom-line gains. With fuel as one of the highest operating costs in trucking, cutting that expense in half creates powerful ROI. In fact, Edison estimates that for every 1,000 lbs saved in truck weight, an operator earns an additional $50 over five years. That may sound small, but in a high-utilization fleet, those savings multiply quickly.
And it’s not just about cost—it’s about control. By designing a vehicle that owners can understand, fix, and adapt, Edison avoids the “black box” problem that plagues many modern trucks. Owners aren’t locked into OEM parts or proprietary systems. Instead, they’re empowered to maintain their fleet with common tools, cheaper components, and fewer software dependencies.
This approach could change the narrative around EV adoption in heavy industry. Rather than relying on government incentives or idealistic marketing, Edison proves that electric can compete on performance, uptime, and economics—without compromise. If more vocational sectors follow suit, we may see a shift in how commercial EVs are designed: not from Silicon Valley, but from the bush roads, loading yards, and job sites that actually drive the economy.
Final Thoughts: Rugged, Real, and Ready
Edison Motors’ electric logging truck is what happens when industry insiders build for their own needs. It’s not polished like a Tesla Semi—but it’s tougher, more modular, and tailored for off-road reality. With 50% fuel savings, rock-solid reliability features, and serviceable components throughout, this hybrid EV isn’t just viable—it’s a million-dollar idea grounded in practical engineering.
Want more real-world EV insights and engineering breakdowns like this? Keep it on Munro to explore our teardown reviews, cost analyses, and expert commentary on the future of automotive design.