Staff report

LORDSTOWN — FirstEnergy plans to purchase 250 of Lordstown Motors Corp.’s electric pickup trucks, the electric utility company said Tuesday.

Lordstown Motors purchased the former General Motors Lordstown Assembly complex and has been working since last year to prepare it. The company is focused on attracting commercial customers for its electric truck.

Endurance is priced at $52,500 and production is planned to start in late 2020.

“Over the past couple of months, we have worked to better understand the needs of local residents and businesses,” Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns said in a statement, according to The Detroit News. “The ultimate goal is to continue to prioritize relationships, like the one we’ve developed with our partners at FirstEnergy.”

The Akron-based energy company plans to add the trucks to its fleet, The Detroit News reported. Akron-based FirstEnergy has customers in Ohio and five other states.

The Endurance pickup truck was announced as the first production vehicle that uses a four-wheel-drive hub-motor system, reducing the number of moving parts.

Lordstown Motors plans to show Endurance at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in June.

The company also is seeking a $200 million loan from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program.

“We remain committed to embracing new ideas and opportunities that better serve our customers and contribute to a sustainable energy future,” Dennis M. Chack, senior vice president of product development, sales and marketing at FirstEnergy, told 21-WFMJ TV.

“We’re proud to partner with Lordstown Motors to enhance our operating fleet and support continued electric vehicle growth throughout our service area,” Chack said.

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