NEWSNOTES | June 23, 2021
News Notes

NEWSNOTES | June 23, 2021

NEWSNOTES | June 23, 2021

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 / Kimberly Taylor

National Grid, a major utility in the US and UK has joined EV100 which is a global initiative where companies make a commitment to switch their fleets to electric and/or installing charging by 2030. For National Grid that means 5,784 vehicles will be electrified over the next nine years including charging for their staff in the US and UK.

Nidec is a Japanese manufacturer of electric motors that has expanded their workforce in China to cash in on the electric vehicle (EV) boom there. The demand is high and their plans include having 2,000 workers at a plant in NE China launched soon.

EV software company and network provider AmpUp has announced a new Low Income Assistance Program across the U.S. for EV charging in underserved communities. Site hosts targeting those communities will have fees waived where the average energy burden, as a percentage of income, is greater than 5%. The program is open to the first 100 applicants.

Hyzon Motors is the most recent CALSTART member to go public with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The Rochester, New York-based company will merge with the publicly traded company Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corp. Hyzon makes hydrogen fuel-cell powered heavy vehicles as does electric semi-truck maker Nikola which plans to buy a $50 million stake in an Indiana energy project led by Wabash Valley Resources. Construction starts next year and Nikola will have access to 50 tons of hydrogen hub per day for fuel stations it wants to build across the U.S.

New Flyer has ordered 20 fuel cell modules from Ballard Power Systems to power 20 New Flyer Xcelsior fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs). The buses will be deployed with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit district in Oakland, California. Miami-Dade County, Florida continues to go all in on their electrification planning and the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) will add 42 battery-electric buses to its existing order of 33 buses from Proterra. When the order is complete 10% of DTPW fleet will operate under electric power.

Audi is joining the choir of those signaling the end of the internal combustion engine (ICE). The manufacturer says it will launch only new electric vehicles on the global market as of 2026 and they’ll phase out production (there may still be demand in China) of ICE’s by 2033. California-based Canoo is an EV startup with plans to build an electric van, delivery vehicle, and pickup truck and they’ve chosen Pryor, Oklahoma as the manufacturing location for their “mega microfactory.” OK then.

Nerdist thinks that someday we may be driving around on hot air and carrying our lightweight inflatable transportation devices with us. The Poimo is a portable and inflatable mobility motorcycle made with material known as drop-stitch fabric. So far the research team has come up with a scooter, motorcycle and a wheelchair, all of which can be inflated or deflated in one minute.

 

RESOURCES

National Grid To Electrify Fleet by 2030, Environment & Energy Leader - https://bit.ly/2SpDsOy

Nidec Revs Up EV Motor Growth With Chinese R&D Center, NikkeiAsia - https://s.nikkei.com/3xLanfw

AmpUp Launches Low Income Assistance Program, Cision - https://prn.to/3xKqmu7

Hyzon Motors Goes Public with SPAC, Supply Chain Quarterly - https://bit.ly/3zT2zKk

Electric Truckmaker Nikola Buys $50M Stake in Hydrogen Plant, Forbes - https://bit.ly/3A0sjVt

Ballard Supplies Fuel Cell Modules for 20 New Flyer Xceslior Buses, NGT News - https://bit.ly/3j1l6ye

Proterra and Miami-Dade County Announce Landmark EV Project, Mass Transit - https://bit.ly/3gZrljf

Audi Will Produce Last ICE By 2033, electrek - https://bit.ly/2U11aRm

Canoo EVs to Be Built in Oklahoma, The Verge - https://bit.ly/2U12weU

Inflatable Motorcycles, Nerdist - https://bit.ly/3xIYYNa