FedEx has also ordered 53 electric vehicles from Harbinger, with deliveries starting at the end of this year

California-based medium-duty electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturer Harbinger has secured US$160 million in Series C financing.

FedEx is co-leading the funding round, along with Capricorn Investment Group’s Technology Impact Fund, which supports companies in the electrification space, and RV manufacturer THOR Industries, whose brands include Airstream, Jayco and Starcraft, among others.

FedEx is also doubling down on its support for Harbinger by not just investing in the electric vehicle manufacturer but by purchasing vehicles from it too.

The logistics giant has placed its first order for 53 Class 5 and Class 6 electric vehicle platforms, which Harbinger expects to deliver by year-end. Each platform includes the chassis and all major vehicle systems, including the powertrain, battery, steering and braking systems—which Harbinger designs and manufactures in-house.

“Harbinger is driving the next generation of medium-duty electric vehicles with a clean-sheet platform designed for optimized fleet performance,” says John Harris, co-founder and CEO, Harbinger, in a press statement.

“The level of investor support we’ve received reflects strong belief in the practicality of our platform, and our order from FedEx demonstrates that this vision is already taking shape in the market.”

The Series C funding round also saw renewed participation from previous investors, including the venture capital and investment firms Ridgeline, Tiger Global, Volkswagen-backed Leitmotif, Maniv Mobility, Schematic Ventures, Overture Climate, Ironspring Ventures, ArcTern Ventures and Litquidity Ventures. The Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund also invested during this funding round.

In total, Harbinger has now raised US$358 million.

Launching in Canada

As part of the Harbinger’s growth strategy, the company started sales of its medium-duty electric and hybrid-electric vehicles across all Canadian provinces and territories in October.

For the company, the launch in Canada was also personal. Co-founder and chief technology officer Phillip Weicker is Canadian, and bringing Harbinger’s EVs to his home market was significant.

“As a Canadian who has worked my entire career in the automotive and EV space, selling vehicles in Canada is a milestone for me,” say Weicker in a release. “When we founded Harbinger, our goal was to build the best medium-duty vehicles and they just happen to be electric.”

Harbinger’s proprietary chassis platform is built for walk-in vans, box trucks, RVs, delivery vehicles and emergency-response units. Electric step vans will be the first models available in Canada, with more variants on the way.

Once assembled, Harbinger’s chassis is delivered to dealers or fleet customers, who then work with third-party body manufacturers for final upfitting. In Canada, Morgan Olson and Utilimaster will provide the custom bodywork for Harbinger step vans.

Safetek Specialty Vehicles is currently handling the distribution of the electric step vans nationwide, while Harbinger continues to expand its dealer network.

Vehicle features and capabilities

According to Harbinger, the company’s vertically integrated approach of designing and manufacturing the chassis and all other key components of the EV is intended to help keep costs down and improve vehicles life and durability.

The trucks also incorporate modern safety and advanced driver-assistance features that are still uncommon in the medium-duty segment. These include dbackup cameras with dynamic trajectory, virtual bumpers, acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS).

Harbinger claims its vehicles deliver a lower total cost of ownership than diesel models due to lower energy use, minimal maintenance needs and longer component lifespans.

Its modular platform offers flexibility across fleet applications, with three wheelbase options(158″, 178″ and 208″) and battery packs sized to different duty cycles: 140 kWh (up to 225 km), 175 kWh (up to 281 km) and 210 kWh (up to 338 km). The electric drivetrain provides up to 13,400 lb-ft of torque.

“The industry reception to Harbinger vehicles to date demonstrates a strong appetite for durable, affordable and environmentally friendly alternatives to supplement gas and diesel fleets,” says Harris.