MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Range Energy, a trailer electrification company advancing scalable, high-impact freight solutions, today announced the successful completion of its multi-year winter testing program, validating the performance, safety, and reliability of its production-ready eTrailer system under extreme cold weather conditions. This year’s testing was conducted at the Smithers Winter Proving Ground in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a facility used by major automakers and commercial vehicle manufacturers for cold-weather vehicle handling and validation. The winter testing program is a key milestone as Range transitions from prototype validation to scaled commercial deployment, demonstrating that its integrated electric powertrain performs consistently and reliably in real-world operating environments, such as extreme weather. As Range scales the manufacturing and deployment of its system, winter performance remains a critical validation point. Range conducted its initial winter testing program in 2025 using a prototype system, which validated core performance and safety capabilities in extreme conditions and laid the foundation for the production-ready platform demonstrated in this year’s testing.
This latest test campaign, conducted in sub-zero temperatures and challenging road conditions, evaluated traction control, regenerative braking, thermal management, and overall vehicle handling. The program included a series of real-world maneuvers such as emergency stops, sharp turns, and rapid lane changes designed to simulate the most demanding scenarios drivers encounter in winter conditions. Results confirmed that the production eTrailer system enhances control and safety in extreme cold. The testing demonstrated improved stability and control on snow and ice, with the Range eTrailer system completing challenging maneuvers more smoothly, while standard trailers operating under the same conditions were more likely to lose stability.
“Completing this second testing program on a production-ready system is a critical milestone for Range as it shows our system can maintain top performance in real-world operations," said Collin MacGregor, VP of Product, Safety, and Systems at Range. “We’ve demonstrated not only that our technology delivers meaningful performance improvements, but that it does so reliably even in the toughest environments that fleets face. That level of validation is essential as we scale manufacturing and bring this platform to the road.”
Range is fundamentally reshaping the trailer industry through a new category of technology that combines propulsion assistance with a high-voltage power layer for onboard systems. Installed directly onto a standard semi-trailer, the system integrates a 250 kW e-motor, inverter, gearbox, suspension, regenerative braking, and 200 kWh or 300 kWh of onboard batteries—enabling immediate tractor fuel savings, eliminating diesel use for refrigerated units, and powering a wide range of trailer systems without requiring changes to driver workflows or charging infrastructure. Range’s approach is already proven across tens of thousands of miles of real-world fleet operations in the U.S. and Canada, where Range-equipped trailers have delivered 50–70 percent improvements in fuel economy, 100 percent replacement of diesel for refrigerated units, and strong driver adoption.
About Range Energy
Range Energy is reshaping the freight industry through practical, scalable trailer electrification technology that improves the efficiency and sustainability of commercial transportation. The company’s trailer electrification platform integrates electric propulsion and high-voltage power directly onto standard semi-trailers, delivering immediate fuel savings, eliminating diesel use for refrigerated units, and enabling a new generation of self-powered trailer systems, without changing driver workflows or requiring new charging infrastructure. By turning trailers into flexible, energy-enabled assets that work with any tractor, diesel or electric, Range helps fleets reduce operating costs, improve performance, and modernize operations at scale. Founded in 2021, Range Energy is backed by leading investors including Trousdale Ventures, UP Partners, R7, Yamaha Motor Ventures, and more. For more information, visit https://range.energy.
Media:
Kate Gundry
range@pluckpr.com
617-797-5174
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c63eb5c5-5b4b-4b3f-99d7-7f7e57024941
