Workhorse’s Class 5 and 6 W56 EVs are coming to Canada under a new dealer deal

Workhorse Group has signed its first Canadian dealer, giving Tristan Fleet Management the job of selling and servicing the W56 electric step van in Quebec and Ontario. The W56 comes in Class 5 and 6 versions and is built at the company’s plant in Union City, Indiana, while Tristan operates as both a dealer group and a fleet management provider. Workhorse announced the agreement on Oct. 22, and trade coverage reached a wider audience in early November.

Stay ahead on AI: Join 600,000+ professionals who read The Deep View, the daily newsletter that keeps you up to date with artificial intelligence.

Subscribe to The Deep View →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.

For fleets north of the border, the practical change is a local place to buy, service and tow an electric truck instead of dealing with a distant U.S. manufacturer.

Tristan’s seven locations and what the dealer agreement covers

According to Workhorse’s own release, Tristan will carry the full W56 range: a standard 178-inch wheelbase and an extended 208-inch wheelbase, each offered with one of two battery configurations. Tristan runs seven maintenance locations, five in Quebec (Pierrefonds, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Zotique, Boucherville and Valleyfield) and two in Ontario, and it is already an authorized dealer for Michelin, Cummins and Vanguard trailers. Electrek’s Nov. 7 report described the arrangement as the W56’s arrival in the Canadian market and added that expansion into Western Canada is planned, though no date was given.

Roadside support is a central part of the pitch. Tristan provides 24/7 roadside assistance and towing, and James Griffin, Workhorse’s chief revenue officer, said that around-the-clock coverage will be valuable to the company’s growth in Canada. Griffin also said Canadian fleets need proven electric trucks that deliver on quality and performance in any condition. Daniel Barbu, Tristan’s vice president and general manager, said high fuel costs and available incentives have made the business case for going electric stronger than ever. Both men were quoted in the release rather than in independent reporting, so their remarks describe intent, not results.

W56 range, payload and cargo figures

The release gives the W56 a nominal range of 240 kilometres (150 miles) per charge with the 210 kWh battery, a payload of up to 4,535 kilograms (10,000 pounds) and cargo space of up to 34 cubic metres (1,200 cubic feet). Nominal is a manufacturer’s baseline, not a guarantee for any particular route, so cold-weather range on a January delivery loop in Quebec is something fleets will want to test before committing to an order. A second battery configuration is available, but the release does not publish its capacity, and it does not list a gross weight rating or Canadian pricing.

Canadian sales were possible before the dealer deal only because of regulatory groundwork. Electric Autonomy reported in March 2025 that Workhorse had completed registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G pre-clearance program, with a review confirming compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for both the W56 and the W750. Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer, said at the time that the pre-clearance opens up a large new market throughout Canada, and pricing had not been announced.

Purolator, public buyers and Quebec’s Ecocamionnage rebates

Workhorse was not starting from zero in Canada. The company says it has sold and supported electric trucks there since 2021 through its partnership with Purolator, the Canadian-owned freight, package and logistics provider. Work Truck Online’s coverage of the Tristan announcement adds that Workhorse is an approved supplier in the Canoe cooperative purchasing program, which serves municipalities, public sector entities and registered not-for-profits. A dealer network widens the pool beyond one large parcel customer to the smaller fleets that buy through local dealers.

The incentive Barbu pointed to is Ecocamionnage, Quebec’s rebate program for cleaner freight vehicles. The provincial government announced on Dec. 2, 2025 that it was renewing the program through fiscal 2027-2028 with $145.4 million, most of it from carbon market revenues. Eligible purchases include heavy vehicles and electric vans. Transport Minister Jonatan Julien said supporting the freight industry through its shift to greener technology is essential, and Environment Minister Bernard Drainville said the program has already removed the equivalent of more than 15,000 light vehicles from Quebec roads. The provincial notice does not list individual models, so whether a given W56 qualifies for a specific rebate is something buyers would need to confirm with the province.

Tristan’s broader business explains the fit. Work Truck Online describes it as a Canadian fleet management provider offering truck and trailer sales, parts, repair and maintenance, plus the roadside and towing service, and says it sells and services products from Michelin, Cummins, WABCO and MAXON. A dealer that already stocks parts and handles repairs for diesel fleets can fold an electric step van into the same service relationship, which is the main reason a fleet manager might prefer buying through such a shop over ordering directly from the factory in Indiana. Griffin’s remark about roadside support reads as a direct answer to that concern.

What remains open is volume. Neither Workhorse nor Tristan has disclosed order counts, Canadian prices or delivery dates, and the Western Canada expansion mentioned by Electrek has no timetable. The release’s description of Tristan as Workhorse’s first Canadian dealer sets the starting line; the first fleet purchases through Tristan’s seven shops will show whether the arrangement moves beyond a press release.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

Stay ahead on AI: Subscribe to The Deep View →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.