Thor Trucks is an American electric truck startup founded in 2016, jointly established in North Hollywood, California, USA by Dakota Semler and Giordano Sordoni. The company focuses on the design and manufacturing of medium and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles, providing integrated solutions for fleet electrification, including vehicle manufacturing, battery technology development, and vehicle system integration. Thor Trucks is positioned as a "transportation laboratory for fleets," committed to making electric commercial vehicle fleets economical, viable, and profitable.
Thor Trucks first entered the public eye at the end of 2017 with its fully electric Class 8 semi-trailer truck prototype, the ET-One. The company claims its core advantage lies in its self-developed battery technology and modular system integration capabilities. In April 2019, the company was renamed Xos Trucks (later renamed Xos, Inc., NASDAQ code: XOS) and entered the commercial expansion phase under its new brand identity.
As of 2026, Xos, Inc. has become one of the leading manufacturers in the US commercial electric vehicle sector. Its customer list includes well-known companies such as UPS, FedEx, Cintas, Loomis, and Penske, with a cumulative deployment of over 1,000 vehicles.
Founding Stage (2016–2017): In 2016, Dakota Semler and Giordano Sordoni founded Thor Trucks in Los Angeles. Early on, the company mainly developed its own battery technology and medium/heavy-duty truck solutions, positioning itself as a light-asset model that does not target "full vertical integration", reducing R&D costs through collaboration with suppliers.In December 2017, the company released the fully electric Class 8 semi-trailer truck prototype ET-One on social media, planned for market launch in 2019. ET-One utilizes a modified Navistar chassis, heavy-duty Dana axles, and electric motors from TM4, an electric motor company from Quebec. Max payload is 80,000 lbs, range is 300 miles.
Commercial Cooperation and Expansion (2018–2019): In 2018, Thor Trucks signed several key commercial partners. In July, it partnered with UPS to develop and test two fully electric Class 6 freight trucks using Thor battery technology in Los Angeles, with testing lasting six months.In the same year, the company collaborated with forklift manufacturer Wiggins to develop the zero-emission eBull high-capacity forklift, and partnered with AxleTech to develop heavy-duty electric drive systems, expanding its powertrain solutions to wider application scenarios.By the end of 2018, the company received investment from multiple investment institutions, and its valuation entered a rapid growth track.
Rebranding and Transformation (2019): In January 2019, the nearly one-year trademark infringement lawsuit between Thor Trucks and RV manufacturer Thor Industries concluded with a settlement. According to the settlement agreement, Thor Trucks must abandon the Thor brand name and cease full use starting April 23, 2019.On April 18, 2019, the company officially announced its name change to Xos Trucks. 'Xos' originates from 'exosphere' (atmospheric exosphere), symbolizing innovation and technical breakthroughs beyond the existing market.After the name change, the company launched the skateboard chassis 'X Platform', designed specifically for medium-duty electric trucks, and gradually expanded its product line. In October of the same year, Xos CEO Dakota Semler predicted the commercial electric vehicle industry would grow rapidly driven by fuel and maintenance cost savings.
Listing and Product Diversification (2020–2024): In 2021, Xos went public on NASDAQ via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, stock code XOS. The company continued to expand its product line to electric Step Vans and chassis systems, cumulatively deploying over 1,000 vehicles. In 2024, Xos partnered with Electreon to conduct wireless charging pilots and deepened cooperation with UPS.
Crossing Growth Milestones (2025–2026): 2025 was a key year for the company's operations; Xos successfully achieved positive free cash flow, with annual vehicle delivery numbers and revenue steadily increasing. In September, Xos publicly announced for the first time a partnership with Belgian electric heavy truck manufacturer Windrose Technology to provide North American import, distribution, and after-sales service for the Windrose R700 electric Class 8 tractor. Previously, both parties had collaborated on Xos Hub mobile charging solutions. In February 2026, Xos launched the new Class 6 medium-duty electric chassis MDEV, with a starting price of $99,000, committed to achieving parity with the purchase price of traditional diesel vehicles.In April, the company officially mass-produced the V2G (Vehicle to Grid) function, expanding bidirectional charging capability from electric school buses to the entire product portfolio.Full-year revenue in 2025 reached tens of millions of dollars, with 2026 revenue targets looking up to $50 million.
During the existence of the Thor Trucks brand, the product line was highly focused, primarily achieving product diversification within the Xos, Inc. system. The main products publicly released by Thor Trucks include:
ET-One Prototype (2017–2019): Thor Trucks' first product, positioned as a fully electric Class 8 semi-trailer tractor. In early publicity, powertrains offered 300–700 hp options. Under a load of 80,000 lbs, the range was 300 miles (approx. 482 km). The entry-level version with a 300 hp powertrain had a range of 100 miles (approx. 167 km). Prototype price was approximately $150,000 (entry-level) to $250,000 (high-spec).The model ultimately did not achieve mass production.
Thor Medium Duty (2018–2019): Class 6 fully electric freight truck developed in cooperation with UPS, with a range of approximately 100 miles, equipped with Thor's self-developed lightweight, high-durability battery system.Testing was completed in Los Angeles in 2019.
X Platform / X Series Chassis (From 2019): The first modular skateboard chassis launched after renaming to Xos, specifically designed for medium-duty Class 6 trucks and last-mile delivery vehicles.
Xos Step Van (From 2020): Fully electric logistics delivery vehicle, targeting fleet users such as UPS, FedEx, equipped with LFP lithium iron phosphate batteries.
Class 6 MDEV Medium-duty Electric Chassis (2026): Starting price $99,000, equipped with LFP battery, range 120–200 miles, supports OTA updates and predictive maintenance.
Market Performance during Thor Trucks Brand Existence: Thor Trucks existed as a brand name only until April 2019. During this period, company revenue sources mainly came from sales of powertrains and batteries used for vehicles of other companies.In terms of valuation, the company was in a "pre-unicorn" state for a long time, with about 35 employees.The UPS collaboration project was its most critical commercial endorsement, but no public large-scale sales data was generated.
Financial and Operational Data during Xos, Inc. Period: Xos has become one of the leading brands in the commercial electric vehicle sector. Customers include "blue-chip" fleets such as UPS, FedEx, Cintas, Loomis, and Penske.Cumulative vehicle deployment exceeds 1,000, covering multiple US states.In 2025, the company successfully achieved positive free cash flow; 2026 revenue target is $50 million.The Class 6 MDEV launched in February 2026 opened pre-orders with a starting price of $99,000.
Self-developed Battery Technology: Thor's self-developed battery system covers medium/heavy-duty electric trucks and other industrial applications, characterized by lightweight, high durability, and long range. Models cooperated with UPS use the "Thor Designed and Manufactured" battery solution.
Modular Chassis / Skateboard Platform: Xos launched the X Platform and Class 6 MDEV medium-duty chassis, achieving highly integrated design from powertrain to chassis.
LFP Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Technology: Class 6 MDEV adopts LFP chemistry, balancing cost and safety, with a range of 120–200 miles.
OTA Remote Updates and IoT Platform: 2026 model Xos vehicles introduce OTA capabilities, optimizing charging strategies and supporting predictive maintenance.
V2G Bidirectional Charging Technology (2026): Officially mass-produced V2G function from April, expanded from electric school buses to the entire product portfolio..
Powertrain Integration and Co-development: Thor cooperated with TM4 on electric motors early on, and with AxleTech on heavy-duty electric drive axles.
No overseas manufacturing or distribution business was conducted during the Thor Trucks brand existence. After renaming to Xos, effective layout in overseas markets was carried out, including: closed manufacturing facilities previously established in Mexico;; established exclusive distribution partnership with Belgian electric heavy truck manufacturer Windrose Technology, importing R700 Class 8 tractors to the North American market;; and exporting Xos Hub mobile charging solutions as infrastructure support for overseas automakers entering the US market.
As of 2026, Xos has surpassed the "startup stage". The $99,000 pricing strategy of Class 6 MDEV aims to drive scaled commercial penetration.The implementation of V2G mass production capability has opened new revenue streams for energy service businesses. Core senior management remains stable with main founder Dakota Semler as CEO. With the implementation of the Windrose R700 import distribution agreement, Xos is transforming from a vehicle manufacturer to a "electric heavy truck platform service provider" in the US market.The company is expected to consolidate its leading position in the US medium-duty electric truck market through a composite model of "price reduction + OTA software services + V2G".
Note: Thor Trucks is the predecessor of Xos, Inc. Xos is a pure B2B commercial vehicle manufacturer, with no equity or operational association with the RV giant Thor Industries of the same name. Currently, Xos has completely replaced the Thor Trucks brand identity and achieved scaled operations.
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