Filed under: EV/Plug-in , USA Balqon has just added its baddest bruiser yet to its electric truck range. Sure, the top speed is only 25 miles per hour, which means the new XE20 is definitely not as fast as its road-going Mule 150 brother, but its ability to pull 40 tons (!) means it’s definitely the brawniest of the bunch. Powered by a liquid-cooled 240 kW AC induction motor, this latest tractor is said to provide the most low-end torque in its class and should be a perfect fit for the off-highway applications it was designed for. The 140 kWh lithium ion battery pack gives it a range between 50 (loaded) and 94 (unloaded) miles and comes standard with a 20 kW charger, though there is an option to upgrade that to an 80 kW version. The body, which we have to admit is butt-and-a-half ugly, is based on the Xspotter by Autocar . In business since 1897, the Balqon partner knows a little something about building trucks and claims this design has a lot of safety, visibility, and durability advantages its competitors lack. Until we can take it for a test drive we’ll have to take their word for it. Hit the jump for the official press release plus a bit of bonus video of the XE20 struttin’ its stuff. [Source: Balqon via Green Car Congress ] Continue reading Balqon adds extra-heavy-duty hauler to range Balqon adds extra-heavy-duty hauler to range originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read