Autocar
Autocar, LLC manufactures custom-engineered Class 8 severe-duty vocational trucks — refuse, terminal tractor, construction, and conventional models — for enterprise fleet operators in waste management, logistics, food distribution, and military markets across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1897
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Autocar does
Autocar, LLC is a privately held American manufacturer of custom-engineered Class 8 severe-duty vocational trucks, founded in 1897 and owned since 2001 by GVW Group LLC under Chairman Andrew Taitz. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Birmingham, Alabama (HQ) and Hagerstown, Indiana, producing four core product platforms: the ACX severe-duty cabover for refuse and recycling, the ACTT/E-ACTT terminal tractors (including an electric variant), the DC-64 conventional truck family with dump (D), mixer (M), pump (P), refuse (R), and tractor (T) variants, and the ACMD medium/heavy-duty cabover. Its technology stack centers on the Power of One factory-integrated chassis-body system, the ADAM Advanced Driver Assistance Module (developed with WABCO), the E-ACTT electric powertrain (developed with Vorza), the Smart Battery Cable fire prevention device, and Autocar Advanced Telematics for fleet monitoring and predictive maintenance. Autocar has positioned itself around severe-duty applications including refuse and recycling, terminal tractor operations, construction and concrete, road maintenance, aircraft support, and military support.
The company's revenue model is anchored on custom-engineered truck sales conducted through an authorized distributor network (with the ADNET quoting portal) and direct factory support from vocational experts, with quote-based pricing and no public list pricing. Supporting revenue streams include OEM and All-Makes parts and aftermarket (sourced from over 1,000 suppliers), recurring telematics subscriptions (free initial period transitioning to customer-paid), and Autocar University training services offered free to truck owners. Named enterprise customers span waste management (Recology, Waste Pro), food distribution (Gordon Food Service, Sysco Cleveland), and logistics (Werner, Port Services), with the sales motion emphasizing vocational consultation, factory-direct 24/7 technical support, and integration with body manufacturers like Heil Co. Recent strategic emphasis has been on electrification (E-ACTT 2021; jointly developed electric refuse truck with Heil and Recology 2026), safety technology (Smart Battery Cable standardization by 2027), and cooperative procurement channels (Sourcewell contract 2025).
Autocar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Autocar
- Legal name
- Autocar, LLC
- Website
- https://autocartruck.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1897
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Autocar, LLC manufactures custom-engineered Class 8 severe-duty vocational trucks — refuse, terminal tractor, construction, and conventional models — for enterprise fleet operators in waste management, logistics, food distribution, and military markets across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Autocar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Severe-Duty Vocational Trucks
- NAICS
- Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturing (336120), Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturing (33612)
- SIC
- Truck & Bus Bodies (3713), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Class 7–8 Heavy-Duty Truck & Tractor Manufacturing (IMACABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vocational/Work Truck Manufacturing (Dump/Refuse/Mixer/Utility) (IMACABAF), Truck Body & Upfitting Manufacturing (Box Bodies/Service Bodies/Cranes/Liftgates) (IMACABAI)
Keywords
Where Autocar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Autocar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Truck Sales: Autocar generates revenue primarily from the sale of custom-engineered severe-duty vocational trucks. Each truck is built to customer specifications with various model lines including ACX, ACMD, ACTT, DC-64. Sales go through authorized distributors.
- Parts and Aftermarket: Complete OEM Genuine and 'All Makes' product lines supported by over 1,000 suppliers, offering competitive pricing through focused purchasing power and low overhead structure.
- Training Services: Autocar University provides live training courses for technicians covering vehicle operation, maintenance, CNG conversion, and technical subjects. Free for Autocar truck owners.
- Telematics Services: Autocar provides telematics services with an initial free period, after which customers may continue service at their own expense under separate agreement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom truck pricing based on customer specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Autocar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Autocar manufactures and custom-engineers severe-duty Class 8 vocational trucks for applications including refuse collection, terminal tractor yard spotting, construction and concrete, road maintenance, aircraft support, and military uses. Core product lines are the ACX severe-duty cabover, the ACTT/E-ACTT terminal tractors (diesel and all-electric), the DC-64 conventional truck family with multiple variants, and the ACMD medium-duty cabover. Each truck is hand-built to customer specifications at facilities in Birmingham, Alabama and Hagerstown, Indiana.
Product overview
Autocar is a manufacturer of severe-duty vocational trucks offering four core product lines: the ACX severe-duty cabover for refuse applications, the ACTT/E-ACTT terminal tractors (diesel and electric), the DC-64 conventional truck family (including DC-64D dump, DC-64M mixer, DC-64P pump, DC-64R refuse, and DC-64T tractor variants), and the ACMD medium/heavy-duty cabover. All trucks are custom-engineered and hand-built to customer specifications with industry-leading body integration. Supporting offerings include the ADAM advanced driver assistance module, Smart Battery Cable safety device, Autocar Advanced Telematics for fleet management, and Autocar Solutions/Always Up service support for the life of the truck.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ACX Severe-duty cabover truck custom-engineered for refuse and recycling applications, featuring the biggest cab in its class, tightest turning radius, and maximum chassis and body integration.
- ACTT Severe-duty terminal tractor designed for yard spotting and container handling at distribution centers, warehouse/trucking yards, intermodal/rail terminals, and port terminals. Features include tallest, widest, deepest cab in the industry, four-point premium cab air suspension, and semi-trailer auto-lock system.
- E-ACTT All-electric severe-duty terminal tractor with zero emissions, capable of up to 22 hours of runtime on a single charge for continuous yard operations.
- DC-64 Severe-duty conventional truck platform built from the ground up with ultra-high-strength 160,000 PSI steel frame rails (24% stronger than industry standard) and 325-degree driver visibility, available in purpose-built variants for dump, mixer, pump, roll-off, refuse, and tractor applications.
- DC-64D Severe-duty dump truck variant of the DC-64 platform, purpose-built for construction applications with Cummins engine options and integrated dump body mounting features.
- DC-64M Severe-duty concrete mixer variant of the DC-64 platform with 160,000 PSI steel frame rails eliminating the need for frame liners, rear-engine PTOs, and asymmetrical self-leveling front suspensions.
- DC-64R Severe-duty refuse variant of the DC-64 platform featuring factory-integrated roll-off hoists and the highest level of body integration in the industry.
- DC-64P Severe-duty concrete pump truck variant of the DC-64 platform custom-engineered for specific pump body applications with optimal weight distribution and maneuverability.
- DC-64T Day cab tractor variant of the DC-64 platform designed for distribution and terminal tractor applications.
- ACMD Medium/heavy-duty cabover truck, available in Class 7 and Class 8 formats, positioned as America's only medium-duty Cab-Over-Engine truck with capacity for a 3-man crew.
- Autocar Solutions (Always Up Direct Factory Support) 24/7 direct factory support service offering virtual technical and parts support staffed by expert technicians who designed and built the trucks.
- Autocar University Training Live training courses for technicians covering vehicle models (DC, ACX, ACMD, ACTT), CNG conversion, electrical diagnostics, and technical documentation; free for Autocar truck owners with paid offerings for outside technicians.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% fuel cost savings with CNG trucks, approximately $13,000 annual savings per truck
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Autocar
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Autocar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Autocar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Heil Co.coreJoint development of fully electric refuse collection vehicle combining Autocar's E-ACX all-electric chassis with Heil's RevAMP electric automated side loader body, creating fully integrated electric refuse platform with no hydraulics on route.
- Recology, Inc.coreRecology, which powers over 90% of its fleet with renewable or alternative fuels, will use the jointly developed electric refuse truck from Heil and Autocar for real-world zero-emission performance evaluation on municipal collection routes in City of Issaquah, WA.
- VorzacoreVorza worked directly with Autocar Truck to create 24/7 powertrain for E-ACTT all-electric terminal tractor capable of handling rigorous demands of semi-trailer yard spotting. Vorza's electric fleet vehicle development team designed custom torque conversion and advanced battery management systems.
- WABCOcoreTwo-year collaboration to integrate WABCO's ADAS technology into Autocar ACX chassis for refuse industry. Technology includes electronic stability control, rollover stability control, advanced emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection. WABCO first introduced this technology to commercial vehicle industry in 2008.
- CumminscorePrimary engine provider for Autocar trucks. Offers L9, X12, and ISX12N CNG engines with industry-leading performance, fuel economy, and service network support.
- Allison TransmissioncoreTransmission provider offering RDS4500 and 4700 series automatic transmissions for maximum torque at low speeds, fuel efficiency, reliability, and ease of use in vocational applications.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Autocar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mack Trucks: Mack (a Volvo Group brand) sells the LR series refuse truck and other vocational Class 8 models directly competing with Autocar's ACX and DC-64R refuse platforms. Mack is the closest direct comparable in the severe-duty vocational refuse and construction segments.
- Peterbilt Motors: Peterbilt (Paccar) sells the Model 520 and 567 vocational trucks that compete head-to-head with Autocar's DC-64D dump, DC-64M mixer, and ACX refuse variants. Same Class 7-8 vocational customer base and dealer-driven GTM.
- Kenworth Truck Company: Kenworth (Paccar) sells the T880 vocational platform targeting the same refuse, construction, and mixer vocations as Autocar's DC-64 family. Direct competitor with similar Cummins/Allison powertrain sourcing and dealer-based distribution.
- Freightliner Trucks: Freightliner (Daimler Truck) sells the 108SD/114SD vocational trucks and the eM2/eCascadia EV platforms that compete with Autocar's DC-64 and emerging E-ACX/E-ACTT lines. Significant overlap in refuse, terminal tractor, and construction vocations.
- Western Star Trucks: Western Star (Daimler Truck) sells the 47X and 49X vocational trucks that overlap with Autocar's severe-duty DC-64 and ACX ranges, particularly for construction and mixer applications in North America.
- Capacity Trucks: Capacity Trucks (a REV Group brand) is one of the leading terminal tractor manufacturers in North America, competing directly with Autocar's ACTT in intermodal, port, and distribution-yard applications.
- Tico Terminal Tractors: Tico is a long-established terminal tractor manufacturer competing with Autocar ACTT in distribution centers, ports, and intermodal yards. Direct overlap in target customers and severe-duty duty cycles.
Broad incumbents
- Volvo Trucks North America: Volvo Trucks previously owned the Autocar brand (1981–2001) and continues to sell the VNL, VNR, and VNX vocational trucks in North America. Broad incumbent in Class 8 with overlapping refuse and construction platforms.
- Navistar / International: International (Traton Group) sells the HX series vocational trucks and eMV series electric medium-duty vehicles competing with Autocar's ACMD and emerging electric lineup. Broader portfolio across Class 6-8 with vocational overlap.
Emerging players
- Orange EV: Orange EV is a pure-play electric terminal tractor manufacturer directly competing with Autocar's E-ACTT in the same severe-duty 24/7 yard-spotting use case. Niche specialist with focused EV-only positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Autocar social profiles
Digital presenceAutocar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Autocar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Autocar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Autocar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Autocar
What does Autocar do?
Autocar manufactures and custom-engineers severe-duty Class 8 vocational trucks for applications including refuse collection, terminal tractor yard spotting, construction and concrete, road maintenance, aircraft support, and military uses. Core product lines are the ACX severe-duty cabover, the ACTT/E-ACTT terminal tractors (diesel and all-electric), the DC-64 conventional truck family with multiple variants, and the ACMD medium-duty cabover. Each truck is hand-built to customer specifications at facilities in Birmingham, Alabama and Hagerstown, Indiana.
Is Autocar a public or private company?
Autocar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Autocar founded?
Autocar was founded in 1897. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Autocar based?
Autocar is headquartered in Birmingham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Autocar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Truck Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts and Aftermarket, training Services and telematics Services.
Who are Autocar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mack Trucks, Peterbilt Motors, Kenworth Truck Company, Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks, Capacity Trucks and Tico Terminal Tractors. Broad incumbents are Volvo Trucks North America and Navistar / International. Orange EV is listed as an emerging player.
Does Autocar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Autocar.
What industry is Autocar in?
Autocar's product category is Severe-Duty Vocational Trucks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACABAC, Class 7–8 Heavy-Duty Truck & Tractor Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMACABAF, Vocational/Work Truck Manufacturing (Dump/Refuse/Mixer/Utility). Its NAICS code is 336120 and its SIC code is 3713.