While other manufacturers are outsourcing to China, Tiger Truck LLC in Dallas is going the other way. The company has acquired a 250,000 square foot facility in Jasper, Texas to assemble off-road trucks based on designs from China’s Changan Automobile Group.
Currently, Tiger Truck imports gasoline and electric trucks from China and modifies them into hybrid and FFV versions at its Dallas facility. The first actual "made in USA" Tiger Truck units will be delivered in early 2008.
The company’s series hybrids feature a 1.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine producing 58 horsepower. This Changan-built engine’s sole job is to keep the truck’s batteries charged via a generator. The Tiger Truck’s electric motor is powered by six 12-volt lead-acid batteries. The FFV version is the first in its class to receive EPA approval for its E85-compliant engine. Hybrid and FFV power plants are available in several models. These include two- and five-passenger crew cab pickups plus passenger, cargo, and high-volume vans.
