Harbinger Secures $400M in Commercial Vehicle Chassis Orders and Announces $73M Series A Funding Round

California-based EV Startup Gains Significant Traction in the Medium-Duty Vehicle Market

Harbinger, a California-based startup specializing in medium-duty electric commercial vehicle chassis, announced on Tuesday that it has secured pre-orders for 4,000 vehicles, valued at over $400 million. The company, which is headquartered in Garden Grove, also revealed it has completed a $73 million Series A funding round.

Among the notable companies placing orders with Harbinger are Bimbo Bakeries USA, the U.S. division of Grupo Bimbo—the world’s largest baking company—and Thor Industries, a major player in the recreational vehicle manufacturing sector.

“While other new entrants struggle to fill their order pipelines, we have extensive pre-orders and backed-up demand for our medium-duty electric vehicles,” said John Harris, Harbinger’s CEO, in a press release. “We are laser-focused on the medium-duty vehicle segment, where there is a huge variety of vehicles built on chassis like ours, including walk-in vans, box trucks, recreational vehicles, delivery vans, school buses, emergency and disaster response vehicles, and more.”

Harbinger also announced an additional $13 million in Series A funding for the fourth quarter of 2023. This funding came from venture and strategic investors, including further investment from the Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund, managed by Greycroft. This new capital supplements the previously announced $60 million Series A funds, bringing the total to $73 million. The funds will be used to expand manufacturing capacity and launch commercial production by the end of the year.

Founded in 2021, Harbinger aims to revolutionize the medium-duty commercial vehicle market in the Class 4 to 6 range. The company currently employs 120 people and operates its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Garden Grove, approximately 30 miles south of Los Angeles.

Harbinger’s production process involves assembling electric vehicle stripped chassis, which are then sold to dealers, specialty upfitters, or directly to customers. These chassis are subsequently outfitted with commercial or specialty bodies by third parties. Harbinger’s electric chassis features an 800-volt liquid-cooled battery system with a scalable capacity, allowing increments of 35-kilowatt-hours to achieve up to 200 miles of range. The battery packs are designed for rapid one-hour direct current fast-charging.

A significant portion of Harbinger’s 4,000-unit order, including those from Bimbo Bakeries USA, is destined for conversion into walk-in vans. “Partnering with Harbinger to expand our robust fleet of alternatively fueled vehicles is an important step in reducing our carbon emissions and dependency on fossil fuels,” said Christopher Wolfe, Bimbo Bakeries USA’s senior director of sustainability, in a statement.

While neither Thor Industries nor Bimbo Bakeries USA disclosed the exact number of chassis ordered, a Harbinger spokesperson noted that Bimbo has placed a substantial multi-year order. Other companies that have made orders include Doggett Equipment Services Group (500 units), Campbell Supply (125 units), GATR Truck Center (500 units), Ethero Truck + Energy (200 units), Electric Commercial Vehicles (50 units), and Mail Management Services (40 units).

Campbell Supply, a major commercial and emergency vehicle dealership in the northeastern U.S., reported a backlog of orders for medium-duty vehicles. “Demand outstrips supply for the entire medium-duty category as we have a multi-year backlog for electric, diesel, and gasoline vehicles,” said Scott Campbell, owner of Campbell Supply. “Electric vehicles have a big place in the market, and that segment is only going to continue to grow.”

Harbinger is poised to make a significant impact on the medium-duty commercial vehicle market as it continues to secure substantial orders and investment, underscoring the growing demand for electric vehicles in various commercial applications.