Automotive manufacturers are investing more time and money than ever to pivot the automotive industry to become climate friendly. While electric and hybrid vehicles get the lion’s share of the media coverage, Acela Truck Company takes a different approach to sustainability. We are giving life to trucks that were otherwise sitting idle, or worse, headed for the landfill.

And while we know a diesel truck doesn’t feel like a “green” addition to your fleet, we also know that organizations can’t compromise on capability. Being strapped with the low mileage and PTO options currently available on electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles is not an option.

Acela Truck Company utilizes government surplus LMTV vehicles to build a commercially available cab-over-engine, on/off-road vehicle that is being used by fleets across dozens of vocations; the Acela Monterra is the only vehicle of its kind in North America. Ranging from forestry, to mining, to emergency response and construction, the Acela Monterra is a platform that provides access and agility for austere environments without sacrificing on-road comfort and reliability.  

Once the LMTV or FMTV has arrived at our facility, the team gets to work with more than three hundred tests and part inspections. Our team is full of best-in-class diesel mechanics that can identify, troubleshoot, repair and replace elements of the Caterpillar 3126 engine, the Allison 3700 transmission, and everything in between. In a standard build, the team replaces more than 650 parts. Any and all seals and rubber parts are immediately stripped and replaced with genuine OEM parts. Fluids are flushed and replaced with new OEM-certified fluids. The wheels are completely rebuilt and mounted with new Good Year tires.

The Acela build process is more than just a paint job and fresh fluids.

Once the vehicle is mechanically sound, it enters the cosmetic phase of the rebuild process. Our team methodically repairs the OEM cab to better than new condition. All of the seals, glass, doors, and exterior componentry are removed and rehabed or replaced. Custom paint colors and lighting packages are available to meet the needs of our customers and wiring harness and upfitter switches are provided to our body building and upfitting partners for seamless integration.

The interior of the cab receives a complete overhaul. As many of our veteran customers know, the LMTVs weren’t exactly a comfortable ride when they were in service with the army; lacking HVAC and air ride seating. Once repaired and rehabed, cabs are reassembled and new interior seating, heat and air conditioning, sound insulation, paneling, lighting, electronics, digital instrumentation and floor mats are installed.

The quality control process is a vital part of the Acela Reset process. Torques, clearances, and pressure settings are all set to specification and recorded during production. After the production floor quality assurance checks are complete, the vehicle enters diagnostic and road testing before we hand over the keys to our customers.

Ultimately, what our quality reset process provides is years of longevity for an extremely capable on/off-road vehicle. It is nearly impossible to quantify the amount of resources preserved by reusing, rehabing and repurposing a vehicle that has already been built rather than building something new. Particularly when the vehicle is tried and true, receiving the “ultra-reliable” certification from the U.S. Army, in addition to outperforming our customers’ other fleet vehicles in the harshest of environments. Consider the resource savings of not having to mine, process and ship materials for a new chassis to be built; it is endless! Reducing, reusing and recycling is a strategy fleet managers can positively impact the carbon footprint of their organization. And in the case of the Monterra, making a positive climate impact without limiting your team’s day-to-day capabilities.