Founded in 1897, the Autocar Brand is the oldest motor vehicle name in the Western Hemisphere. For over more than a century, the Autocar brand has consistently delivered cutting-edge innovations, reshaping the severe-duty truck industry.
Today, Autocar, LLC is known for its custom-built work trucks that excel in the toughest industries, such as refuse and recycling, construction, and terminal tractor operations. Autocar continues to innovate by introducing ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) for vocational trucks, heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs), and other productivity and safety options, all designed for severe duty environments.
Autocar has established itself as a company that not only builds trucks but also builds direct relationships with its customers, during the sales process and, more importantly, during the post sales life of the truck. With its Always Up® promise—Autocar’s pledge of lifetime customer service and uptime factory support—the company’s track record of solving unique vocational challenges places it as one of the 10 Innovative Companies in 2024.
A Journey Built on Innovation
With the first truck carrying the Autocar name plate, a vision for innovation was born. Louis Semple Clarke created the first Autocar No.1 tricycle powered by a gasoline engine in 1897. By 1911, Autocar had already set a precedent for producing custom-built vehicles designed to meet the unique needs of heavy-duty industries. By 1923, Autocar had built America’s first electric trucks.
In 2001, Autocar returned its focus to severe-duty vocational trucks when it was acquired by GVW Group LLC, leading to the development of models like the WX/ACX, ACTT®, DCTM, and ACMD®, all purpose-built for the toughest work environments. Today, Autocar’s trucks are a staple in industries that require maximum performance and reliability.
Engineering with a Customer-First Mindset
At the heart of Autocar’s success lies its unique approach to truck engineering. The company’s patented Power of One® Integration process enables two companies to work as one, enabling seamless body to chassis integration in the refuse industry, ensuring each vehicle is a fully integrated, production-ready tool, that eliminates the need for chassis modifications.
Autocar’s product line reflects its unwavering dedication to building trucks that are designed with purpose. The ACX® Severe Duty Cabover is a powerhouse, available in diesel and CNG engine options, soon to launch the EV option, ready to take on anything from refuse collection to concrete pumping, paint striping, aircraft support, and utility vehicles.
Meanwhile, the company’s electric innovations are making waves in the industry, combining zero-emissions powertrains with optimized energy efficiency to meet the demands of a full day’s work without compromising performance.
Leading with Electrification
Autocar’s E-ACTT Severe Duty Terminal Tractor and E-ACX® Severe Duty Cabover models signal a transformation in the electrification of severe-duty trucks, combining Autocar’s core focus on durability and efficiency with green innovation options when needed or required. The E-ACTT boasts an impressive duty cycle of up to 22 hours per charge. The E-ACX® brings zero emissions to refuse collection, featuring a proprietary electric powertrain for severe duty. Customer evaluations have been positive and show that the E-ACX® is more than capable of meeting the demands of the refuse vocation. It can cover up to 100 miles within an 8 to 10-hour shift, completing up to 1,000 bin pickups on a single charge (as with all EVs, performance depends on ambient conditions, terrain, vehicle speed, and driver operation).
Innovation without Compromise
Autocar’s approach is simple—innovate with the end user in mind. Vocational trucking requires trucks that are purpose-built for specific tasks. Every new product delivers value while minimizing potential risks. Safety guides Autocar’s engineering. Autocar was the first to launch the Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) with features like forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and rollover stability control on refuse trucks.
The “Customer Obsessed” Culture That Drives Excellence
Internally, Autocar drives a “Customer Obsessed” culture—a team that doesn’t settle for anything less than excellence. Autocar tackles challenges head-on and encourages employees to look for ways to improve, streamline, and deliver exceptional results.
As proof, Autocar doubled production within six months, fuelled by in-house innovations in AI and data analytics. Autocar uses AI models to predict part shortages, improve warehouse layouts, and enhance operator performance.
Looking Toward a Greener Future
As Autocar moves into the future, the company is committed to building trucks that are not only Always Up® but also built to address the growing demand for sustainable transportation. This includes exploring new technologies like hydrogen fuel cells and continuing to develop battery-powered trucks that deliver both performance and environmental benefits.
Additionally, Autocar is tackling labor market challenges by working on making its ACMD cabover truck “CDL-less,” which would allow drivers without a commercial driver’s license to operate the vehicle. This innovation could have a significant and positive impact on the industry, addressing the shortage of skilled drivers and helping companies reduce operational costs.
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“At Autocar, we don’t build a truck and find something for it to do—we find something that needs to be done and build a custom truck to get it done,” says Autocar’s leadership. “It’s not about building trucks, we build severe duty custom “tools” that solve real problems, and that’s what makes us different,” said Andrew Taitz, Autocar Chairman.
