In electric vehicle, battery and charging news are Tesla, Daimler, REE, GreenPower, TEXEL, Triton, Arcimoto, gofor, Greenland Tech, XCHARGE, FF, Mangrove Li, VW, Li-Cycle, Hyliion, Volvo
Tesla is taking reservations for its semi truck, it requires a refundable $5000 credit card deposit and then wiring $15000 to the company which is not refundable.
City of Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was joined by community and industry leaders at the LAFD Museum in Hollywood on May 14, 2022, to proudly announce the arrival of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s first electric fire engine, the Rosenbauer RTX, which will soon enter service at LAFD Station 82 in Hollywood.
Sysco Corporation, the leading global foodservice distribution company, and Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), the leading North American heavy-duty truck manufacturer, today jointly announced a Letter of Intent (LOI) to deploy up to nearly 800 battery electric Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 tractors serving Sysco customers by 2026. The first eCascadia delivery is expected to arrive at Sysco’s Riverside, California site later this year.
EAVX, a subsidiary of JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO), and REE Automotive (NASDAQ: REE), an automotive technology leader and provider of electric vehicle platforms, announced the companies’ new fully electric walk-in step van prototype will begin customer evaluation this summer. The class 5 vehicle debuts the EAVX body design powered by REE’s modular P7 platform, making it the first fully drive-by-wire walk-in van on the market.
Evaluations of the new electric walk-in step van will take place over several weeks in the Detroit metropolitan area. The pre-booked event will allow pipeline customers across retail, delivery, and logistics segments to experience the vehicle, its groundbreaking technology, and secure production capacity on the path for 2023 deliveries. EAVX, a subsidiary of JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO), and REE Automotive (NASDAQ: REE), an automotive technology leader and provider of electric vehicle platforms, today announced the companies’ new fully electric walk-in step van prototype will begin customer evaluation this summer. The class 5 vehicle debuts the EAVX body design powered by REE’s modular P7 platform, making it the first fully drive-by-wire walk-in van on the market.
Evaluations of the new electric walk-in step van will take place over several weeks in the Detroit metropolitan area. The pre-booked event will allow pipeline customers across retail, delivery, and logistics segments to experience the vehicle, its groundbreaking technology, and secure production capacity on the path for 2023 deliveries.
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of zero-emission, electric-powered, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, announced that its all-electric school buses are eligible for rebates under the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Clean School Bus program of $500 million for this year. Under the EPA program, qualified purchasers of GreenPower’s Type D BEAST all-electric school bus are eligible for a rebate of up $375,000 and up to $285,000 for GreenPower’s Type A Nano BEAST all-electric school bus. Online applications are expected to open later this month.
EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program provides five billion dollars over five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models to help bring healthier transportation solutions to students around the country. GreenPower’s innovative technologies can help school districts drive down fuel costs and minimize maintenance costs while delivering outstanding reliability and efficiency.
The EPA recently announced that they will be accepting online applications from May to August 2022 . A review and selection process will commence in September and applicants will be advised of their status in October, and selected school districts are required to order electric or low-emission school buses by April 2023 to qualify for the rebates.
A new report from Guidehouse Insights analyzes the global market for commercial light EVs (CLEVs), including the outlook for commercial e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, seated e-scooters, and e-motorcycles. Electric three-wheelers (E3Ws) are also included in the analysis of the Indian market.
The increasing demand for last mile and food delivery services and the need for nimble, emission-free modes of transportation with low operating costs are driving the CLEV market. According to a new report from Guidehouse Insights, the CLEV market is forecast to show steady growth in annual sales revenues, rising from $3.4 billion in 2022 to $9.9 billion in 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7%.
“As the demand for delivery services increases, light duty commercial vehicles are increasing urban congestion and are further contributing to transportation emissions,” says Sagie Evbenata, senior research analyst with Guidehouse Insights. “In response, CLEVs are considerably lighter, have a smaller carbon footprint than conventional light goods vehicles, lower operating costs, and can carry cargo in addition to the driver, providing a compelling market opportunity for manufacturers and fleet operators for last mile deliveries.”
Increasing urbanization and congestion, combined with the proliferation of city access restrictions for ICE vehicles, is resulting in greater demand for CLEVs. Further increasing the demand, battery technology has advanced to help reduce prices and improve performance, resulting in CLEVs becoming an attractive proposition for applications such as transporting staff and goods on government fleets. Furthermore, police and military forces are seeing the benefits of CLEVs as agile and stealthy patrol vehicles, according to the report.
According to TrendForce data, total sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles) in 1Q22 was 2.004 million units, an annual growth rate of 80%. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) demonstrated the strongest growth with sales reaching 1.508 million units. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) sold 493,000 units. Growth in NEV sales did not come easy, as global auto market sales (regardless of powertrain type) fell by 7% YoY in 1Q22 due to factors such as the chip shortage, Russian-Ukrainian war, and China’s pandemic lockdown and prevention measures.
In terms of BEV brands, Tesla’s sales in 1Q22 exceeded 310,000 units, ranking first with a market share of 20.5%. Chinese automaker BYD ranked second with 143,000 units and a market share of 9.5%. BYD announced in April that it would stop producing fossil-fueled vehicles and transform fully into a NEV manufacturer. Its BEV sales rose sharply by 271% in 1Q22 compared to the same period last year. Wuling, a subsidiary of SAIC-GM, has been ranked second since the launch of the Wuling Hongguang MINI in 2020 but dropped to third place in 1Q22. The main contributor to this was the multitude of models positioned as miniature and low-priced launched in the past year such as the Chery Ant and Changan Benben. As similar products arrived on the market, sales competition hindered growth.
In terms of PHEVs, BYD once again broke its quarterly sales record. Sales volume in 1Q22 reached 142,000 units, with a market share of 28.8%. As more PHEV models gradually appear in the market, it has become increasingly more difficult to capture a large market share. It is worth noting that the sales volume of PHEVs in the European market was lower in 1Q22 both when compared with the same period last year and when compared to 4Q21, affected the performance of some European brands.
TrendForce expects that most automakers will adopt a strategy of prioritizing the production of EVs. Therefore, continued growth in the sale of NEVs is expected in 2022. However, automakers will be under greater cost pressure this year. In particular, the Russian-Ukrainian war has greatly increased the cost of power batteries. This has caused automakers to increase their prices. Some countries including China will withdraw car purchase subsidies which dampens the market for low-priced mini-cars that previously supported the rapid growth of NEVs. Factors such as global inflation will become variables in the future growth momentum of NEVs.
The Swedish origin innovative battery development company TEXEL Energy Storage has agreed to partner with the American EV manufacturer Triton, to accelerate the shift into developing the next generation Electric Hybrid powertrain for trucks. New technologies are needed to meet the demand of a circular future, to stop consuming our planets resources.
Today TEXEL Energy Storage and Triton announced their co-operation to develop the next generation of electric hybrid powertrain for electric vehicles, including Triton electrical long-distance semi-trucks. The TEXEL hybrid technology combining storing and producing energy, much like a combination of lithium batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. The TEXEL technology is thermochemical, using metal hydrides to store energy and the world´s most advanced Stirling engine to convert to electricity. TEXEL energy storage battery technology was appointed “the success story beyond lithium-ion batteries” by Innovation X-Lab at the energy storage summit at SLAC in Silicon Valley. TEXEL has an exclusive license agreement with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to commercialize the thermochemical technology, developed and patented by SRNL, as an important component in the new TEXEL Thermochemical Hybrid Battery. TEXEL energy storage battery technology was appointed “the success story beyond lithium-ion batteries” by Innovation X-Lab at the energy storage summit at SLAC in Silicon Valley. TEXEL has an exclusive license agreement with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to commercialize the thermochemical technology, developed and patented by SRNL, as an important component in the new TEXEL Thermochemical Hybrid Battery.
Arcimoto, Inc.® (NASDAQ: FUV), makers of rightsized, outrageously fun, ultra-efficient electric vehicles for moving people and stuff, and JOCO, the world’s first Light Electric Vehicle sharing platform for delivery drivers, are teaming up on a pilot program to field test the Deliverator, Arcimoto’s ultra-efficient, three-wheel electric vehicle designed for local and last-mile delivery. The pilot program is anticipated to begin in Manhattan on June 15.
With more than 50 JOCO Hubs and across New York City, Chicago and Boston, JOCO operates a fleet of two thousand e-bikes for delivery gig drivers. During the pilot program, JOCO will market the Arcimoto Deliverator to local businesses and independent delivery drivers as a new sustainable delivery option available for daily and weekly rentals, offering greater range, convenience, safety and payload versus a traditional e-bike.
gofor, the renewable delivery™ company, unveiled its new brand, new mission, and new philosophy. Best summed up by their new mantra, ‘deliver better’, gofor remains committed to providing the kind of customer centric service they have been known for, and do it carbon free, through carbon offsets and its growing fleet of electric delivery vehicles.
Deliver better is an approach that emphasizes people at every step: customers get their big and bulky items as they need them, drivers access more efficient routes and electric vehicles to drive, while communities benefit from quieter, cleaner, last mile deliveries.
For the company, it’s a chance to show the industry, and the world, that there’s a better way, even as delivery expectations increase.
“We see an immense opportunity to add value at the point of delivery,” said Ian Gardner, CEO of gofor. “The cultural shifts underfoot are moving our direction by extending brands to the doorstep and into the living room, and wealth creation opportunities for our drivers.”
Gardner laid out the differences and commitment gofor is bringing to last mile delivery. Electric vehicles, carbon offsets, happy drivers, smart packaging, and intelligent routing. It’s this suite of sustainable delivery services that makes up “renewable delivery”.
When it comes to a commitment to sustainability, it’s more than a new tagline and new delivery model. Last March, gofor signed The Climate Pledge, committing to pursue ambitious carbon reduction activities across their business operations and supply chains. They also entered into a preferred partnership with Odin Automotive to deploy over 3000 of Odin’s electric delivery vehicles in the US and Canada, starting this year. This makes gofor one of the first efleet as a service providers in North America and provides a blueprint to others who think they can’t be concerned with climate change and provide a competitive service.
In conjunction with its rebranding, gofor deployed an updated website, which showcases their reinvigorated look, their new mission and vision, and a deeper look at what renewable delivery means to the market. To see the new website and for more information on gofor, visit deliverbetter.com.
Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: GTEC) (“Greenland ” or the “Company”), a technology developer and manufacturer of electric industrial vehicles and drivetrain systems for material handling machineries and vehicles, announced it has officially selected Baltimore County, Maryland for the next phase of the Company’s major U.S. expansion. The company conducted a comprehensive national selection process before selecting Maryland earlier this year. Baltimore County was then selected after a review of multiple criteria including location, workforce, incentives, logistics, and more.
With the formal selection of Baltimore County , Greenland plans to now move forward with an approximately 54,000 square-foot manufacturing facility located at 5301 Nottingham Drive, White Marsh, MD , where it plans to steadily create new full-time jobs. The facility which is expected to formally open in July 2022 , is central to the Company’s strategy of supporting the increased customer demand for its expanding line of electrical industrial vehicles.
“We welcome Greenland Technologies’ new U.S. manufacturing operations to Maryland , and are thrilled to see the company’s vision come to life at its location in Baltimore County ,” said Governor Larry Hogan . “Greenland’s innovative technologies will allow the company to easily make its mark in the Mid Atlantic and continue growing its presence throughout the nation.”
Greenland Technologies is a technology developer and manufacturer of electric industrial vehicles and drivetrain systems. Established in 2006, the company has become one of the world’s largest transmission and drivetrain systems providers for material handling equipment such as forklift trucks that are used in industrial and logistic settings. Greenland Technologies investments in R&D and its successful track record of innovation have established it as a cutting edge, clean energy technology developer, with a proven commitment to embracing the electrification process and incorporating it into the electric industrial vehicle market.
To support its expansion, the Company has submitted a notice of intent to utilize the state’s More Jobs for Marylanders program, administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. The More Jobs for Marylanders program incentivizes new and existing manufacturers to create new jobs in the state, and to non-manufacturers that locate or expand in Maryland Opportunity Zones. The More Jobs for Marylanders Act 3.0 (Senate Bill 391/House Bill 418) was introduced this year by Governor Larry Hogan to extend the successful program for an additional five years through 2027.
– XCHARGE, a global leader in EV charging solutions, unveiled their latest product line the Net Zero Series which is aimed to drive the adoption of fast charging and energy storage solutions. In response to the growing demand of electricity during peak times, XCHARGE collaborated with battery leader BYD to combine advanced battery technology with intelligent charging creating the next generation of EV infrastructure. The two companies agreed to collaborate on the new product based on their commitment to a carbon-free, sustainable transportation and a shared vision to foster a greener future.
The Net Zero Series enables 210kW max. output power, supports up to 2 vehicles simultaneously charging, and features a 19-inch HD touchscreen. It is equipped with liquid cooled Lithium-ion battery modules which come in two storage capacities, 233kWh in the base configuration and 466kWh in the Plus model. In addition, the net zero series is designed with a Battery2Grid function where applicable, so that in peak hours, the charger can sell energy back to the grid, if the battery is relatively full.
In addition to various preset modes, the smart operating system also includes a Power Reserve Mode, ensuring that a certain amount of energy is always kept within the charger. This always allows the charger to provide power (to vehicles or buildings) in the event of emergency black out situations.
Another key highlight is the industrial socket assembled to the charger. This feature allows for easy and cost-effective installation; operators only need to prepare a 30/60kW power plug to connect the charger with the grid and start the EV charging business immediately. Fast charging no longer needs construction heavy project, it’s all packed into one “plug-able” piece. Since it’s unnecessary to build foundation under the charger, relocation is also made easy. Just unplug and mount it at a new location with minimal headache.
Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (“FF”) (NASDAQ: FFIE), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, announced its flagship brand experience center in prestigious Beverly Hills, Calif., and its selection of ASTOUND Group to implement design direction, and execute the physical experience of the interior and exterior spaces. FF is on track to launch its flagship vehicle, the FF 91, in Q3 2022.
The retail space will create an environment where users can experience Faraday Future; it will highlight the brand’s advanced technology, distinctive luxury, and futuristic design. Located at 464 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, the brand experience center is a block from the famed Rodeo Drive.
“Designing FF’s flagship brand experience center, working with the w
Mangrove Lithium announced it has closed a new investment round led by US-based BMW i Ventures (BiV) and joined by returning investor Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV). Mangrove will use these funds to accelerate the launch of a commercial-scale plant deploying its proprietary, patent-pending technology to refine lithium from a variety of sources. The plant will boost existing lithium refining operations in the Western Hemisphere, and lower lithium refining’s environmental impact. It will also enable new refining capacity by unlocking untapped resources and converting them to viable reserves.
This round brings the total funds raised by Mangrove’s executive team to $25 million USD .
“Mangrove’s modular, feedstock-flexible technology has attracted serious investors who see that our technology gets global refining capacity much closer to projected demand,” said Mangrove CEO Saad Dara . “Corporate customers will need resilient lithium supplies with fiscally viable and responsible refining operations. We provide both, which is why these investors see us as positioned to take a central role in global EV scaling.”
In the face of volatile prices and supply uncertainty, major EV manufacturers are seeking to minimize battery supply chain risks.
Mangrove’s technology is the lowest-energy solution on the market, so it is not only the least expensive solution, but also the greenest. Sites with renewable energy sources could nearly eliminate their carbon footprint, as well as most of the harmful chemical inputs used in today’s lithium refining.
BiV Managing Partner Kasper Sage said, “There is a substantial need for technologies that enable more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective lithium production, as lithium is a key component in most battery chemistries relevant for EVs. Recent supply chain disruptions and soaring prices have highlighted the importance of investing in this field to make the energy transition a reality. Bringing Mangrove’s core technology to market will be a step function improvement in environmental impact, cost, performance, and flexibility over existing processes today.”
Mangrove Lithium provides the best solution to facilitate a resilient supply chain with its mobile plants, ability to process both chloride and sulfate feedstocks, and output battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate. Its technology can be placed anywhere along the battery manufacturing chain: Situated at refining operations where they’re needed most, at the point of extraction, or point of manufacturing. It is also scalable and able to meet tailored product specifications.
As the investment arm of a leading auto manufacturer, BiV’s investment represents the third major sector that sees the strategic and capital value of Mangrove’s platform. Joining major financial investors such as BEV, BDC Capital, and Federal and Provincial Canadian governments, the inclusion of the auto industry is a testament to the importance of lithium in the world’s clean energy future. Mangrove intends to work hand-and-glove with the public sector and private industries to ensure there is sufficient supply of battery-grade lithium to accelerate and accomplish widely shared clean energy goals.
About Mangrove Lithium Mangrove Lithium, a Vancouver -based company, has developed a breakthrough platform for the most cost-effective production of battery grade lithium hydroxide and carbonate from diverse input streams and assets. Mangrove’s modular solution can be scaled to any capacity and co-located with upstream lithium producers or cathode and cell manufacturers. The platform technology is also being commercialized for the conversion of waste brines to chemicals and desalinated water. Visit www.mangrovelithium.com.
To recognize the efforts of its production team as it prepares for electric vehicle assembly, Volkswagen Chattanooga announced that all production and maintenance team members and team leaders will receive a $3,000 bonus. Additionally, the company will offer a $3,000 signing bonus to production and maintenance team members hired between May 16 and Oct. 31, 2022.
“We intend to be the top manufacturing employer in the area,” said Burkhard Ulrich, vice president of human resources at Volkswagen Chattanooga. “The appreciation bonus for our production and maintenance team members is well deserved. We are on track for the start of ID.4 assembly this summer, a clear testament to our team’s dedication.”
Volkswagen Chattanooga plans to add a third shift to its operations in October 2022 to help meet customer demand for the Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID.4. The company aims to hire 1,000 new production team members by the end of this year.
In addition to a $3,000 signing bonus, candidates who relocate to join Volkswagen’s production team will be eligible for a $2,500 stipend. Stipend eligibility is based on IRS regulations.
“As we grow our team to help meet customer demand and implement a third shift, we believe the signing bonus and relocation stipend will help us become an even more attractive employer in the region,” said Ulrich. “We’ve also increased our employee referral incentive from $300 to $500. For us, this was an easy decision; some of our best hires have been referred by our team members.”
The company is hiring production team members primarily for second, third and night shifts. The starting hourly rate for those shifts is $24.40, which includes shift premium and perfect attendance bonus. With wage progression, top-out rates can reach $33 per hour. These are direct hire positions for those with relevant experience.
Volkswagen Chattanooga’s production team shifts:
Assembly, Paint, Battery, Logistics Days: 6 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Nights: 6 p.m. – 3:45 a.m. Monday-Friday
Body: 1st shift: 6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 2nd shift: 2 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. 3rd shift: 10 p.m. – 6:30 a.m. Monday-Friday
For more information, visit wearevolk
Aperia Technologies Inc., a leading supplier of tire management technologies that improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle tractors and trailers, announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued off-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) credit for the use of its automatic tire inflation system (ATIS) technology used in Medium and Heavy-duty applications, including tractors, regional vocational vehicles, and custom chassis coach buses & motor homes.
Manufacturers will now earn input credit for overall fuel consumption for the thousands of clients already specifying the company’s Halo Tire Inflator on drive tires.
“Environmentally sustainable fleet management is at the heart of what we do at Aperia, and we could not be happier that the EPA is recognizing the tremendous value our ATIS technology has in decreasing overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for commercial fleets,” said Josh Carter, CEO of Aperia Technologies.
As stated on the EPA’s website regarding Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles, “The final phase two program promotes a new generation of cleaner, more fuel-efficient trucks by encouraging the development and deployment of new and advanced cost-effective technologies.”
The Halo Tire Inflator is the recipient of the EPA’s Clean Air Excellence Award, the agency’s highest national award to honor a project’s impact, innovation, and replicability in improving the nation’s air quality. Halo installs in minutes and is currently specified on nearly ten percent of all new tractors built in North America.
As part of the company’s application for off-cycle credit, Aperia Technologies submitted data from both Halo-equipped trucks and trucks equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that spanned 12 months, 2.4 billion miles, and 10,974 tires. The findings showed that tires equipped with TPMS were on average 6.9 psi lower than the tires on trucks equipped with Halo ATIS in drive-only position.
–Li-Cycle Corp. (NYSE: LICY) (“Li-Cycle” or the “Company”), an industry leader in lithium-ion battery resource recovery and the leading lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, announced that its previously announced Arizona Spoke facility located in Gilbert, Arizona has commenced commercial operations.
Arizona presents a significant opportunity for lithium-ion battery recycling due to the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in the region, as well as its close proximity to large markets such as California, which are expected to produce an increasing supply of end-of-life batteries available for recycling from EVs, energy storage projects and consumer electronics.
Li-Cycle’s Arizona Spoke facility is the first-of-its-kind, utilizing proprietary technology that processes full EV battery packs without dismantling them manually, making recycling of those battery packs safer, sustainable and more labor efficient. The facility is strategically located close to the Company’s existing battery and manufacturing scrap supply network in the Southwestern United States, which optimizes logistics and other efficiencies for recycling services.
“The launch of Li-Cycle’s innovative battery recycling facility bolsters Arizona’s already robust EV supply chain and sends a signal that Arizona is the place to be for electric batteries,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. “Sustainable industries have found a home in Arizona, and few companies represent the innovation and possibilities that brings like Li-Cycle. We are proud to see Li-Cycle’s facility up and operational.”
ChargeLab announced its $15 million Series A financing. The round was led by King River Capital, with participation from ABB E-Mobility and existing investors including Construct Capital, Root Ventures, Highline Beta, Third Sphere, and Maple VC.
ChargeLab builds software to operate and optimize electric vehicle charging equipment. ChargeLab’s software runs at the edge and in the cloud, empowering fleets, building operators, and utilities to deploy large numbers of EV chargers and manage them as an intelligent network. ChargeLab’s API-first architecture makes its platform more modular and scalable than those of its competitors.
ChargeLab does not build any hardware. Instead, the company partners with leading EV charger manufacturers like ABB, Phihong, United Chargers, Siemens, and Tritium. ChargeLab and these manufacturers form part of an open EV charging ecosystem driven by the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP).
Hyliion Holdings Corp. (NYSE: HYLN) (“Hyliion”), a leader in electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 semi-trucks, toannounced that it has become a member of the World Economic Forum and will join the Road Freight Zero coalition, an initiative that engages industry leaders around the world to accelerate the global transition to a zero-emission transportation future.
The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting will take place in Davos, Switzerland next week, where Hyliion will be co-hosting “The Transition to Sustainable Road Freight” affiliate session with Hypertruck Innovation Council member Agility. The panel will feature Thomas Healy, founder and CEO of Hyliion, along with other global industry leaders as they discuss decarbonization challenges and the practical and scalable solutions that can accelerate sustainability-focused technologies.
In 2020 there were 27 million heavy-duty trucks on the road worldwide, emitting 1,183 metric tons of carbon dioxide—41% of total global road freight greenhouse gas emissions. And with 95% of the world’s transportation energy coming from petroleum-based fuels like diesel, the need for innovative technology that utilizes alternative fuels has never been more evident.
Volvo Group North America has published a Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy-Transport Solutions) Lessons Learned Guidebook to commemorate the end of its innovative three-year project, which began in 2019 and concludes in early Fall 2022. The 22-page guidebook, Bringing Battery-Electric Freight Trucks to Market: From Demonstration to Commercialization, documents key insights gained as the project partners designed and implemented innovative programs and technologies critical for the widescale success of battery-electric freight movement.
“By participating in the Volvo LIGHTS project, our team gained incredibly valuable experience that helped shape the comprehensive customer support model for our Volvo VNR Electric model, which was first commercialized in December 2020,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “That said, we know that the transition away from diesel to electric power will involve far more than developing reliable truck technology. The Volvo LIGHTS project helped underscore the many areas in which public and private entities will need to collaborate to develop the ecosystem needed to support customers with successful battery-electric truck adoption – including the build out of public and private charging infrastructure, a robust dealer support network, incentives and strategies to reduce costs, a trained workforce of technicians, sales consultants, first responders, and more.”
The Volvo LIGHTS project, led by Volvo Group North America and South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), is a public-private partnership between 14 organizations aimed at transforming freight movement. Supporting project partners include NFI Industries, Dependable Highway Express (DHE), TEC Equipment, Shell Recharge Solutions (formerly Greenlots), Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, Southern California Edison, CALSTART, the University of California, Riverside CE-CERT, Reach Out, Rio Hondo College, and San Bernardino Valley College. Each of the Volvo LIGHTS project partners played an integral role in helping transform goods movement, as they worked together to design a blueprint to introduce zero-tailpipe emission battery-electric trucks and equipment into the market at scale.
The Volvo LIGHTS Lessons Learned Guidebook, available for download from the project website at www.lightsproject.com, is organized into a series of short chapters:
“By publishing the Volvo LIGHTS Lessons Learned Guidebook, Volvo Group hopes to shine a light on the key considerations that public and private entities need to plan for to successfully support the introduction of heavy-duty electric trucks across North America,” Voorhoeve continued. “Volvo Group, and Volvo Trucks with the VNR Electric offering, is committed to leading the commercial transportation industry’s transition to zero-emission solutions and looks forward to building on the success of this project as we work with other partners to accelerate the adoption of these vehicles in other states.”
The Volvo LIGHTS project was made possible by a $48 million award to South Coast AQMD from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as part of California Climate Investments (CCI), a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment. South Coast AQMD contributed $4 million from the Clean Fuels Fund and awarded the Volvo Group a $45.6 million contract to design and implement the LIGHTS project. Volvo and its partners promised no less than $45.7 million in matching contributions to increase the total project value to more than $91 million for South Coast AQMD to administer. The three-year project took place in Southern California in regions within the top 25% of the state’s disadvantaged communities.