NEWSNOTES | October 20, 2021
News Notes

NEWSNOTES | October 20, 2021

NEWSNOTES | October 20, 2021

Wednesday, October 20, 2021 / Kimberly Taylor

Tesla, Toyota and Ford are just a few of the automakers who are tackling global supply chain challenges by spending billions of dollars to make battery cells for electric vehicles. It’s growing so much that AlixPartners projects the investments will grow to $330 billion by 2026. The energy storage sector is expanding rapidly and CALSTART member Marubeni believes second-life batteries as a source of cheap grid storage holds promise. As such, they have led a Series A investment in B2U Storage Solutions in Lancaster, California, which is one of the fastest growing U.S.-based energy storage designers that is repurposing batteries from EVs.

Electrek takes a look at what is happening in Congress with federal tax credits for EVs and shares a list of those that qualify for tax credits and how much you might be able to save. They promise to keep updating the list to help prospective buyers calculate potential savings or rebates before you buy.

Congratulations to Navistar International which has announced that their first customer for their medium-duty battery-electric trucks (BETs) is Penske Truck Leasing. The first trucks will be produced at Navistar’s new plant in San Antonio opening in the spring of next year. And note to CALSTART Executive level members, our first Leadership Circle meeting of 2022 will be at their new Texas plant.

Minnesota-based Zeus Electric Chassis and EAVX are partnering to develop and commercialize all-electric vocational work truck solutions. Zeus will leverage the JB Poindexter & Company (JBPCO) North American operational footprint to create a nationwide service and support network for Zeus products.

GreenPower Motor Company, a manufacturer of zero-emission electric-powered medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, has announced that Zeem Solutions has taken delivery of 24 GreenPower’s EV Stars. This is in addition to the 30 EV Stars Zeem has taken possession of since the beginning of the year. New Flyer has order announcement news as well. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority of Buffalo, New York (NFTA-Metro) has placed a firm order for 10 Xcelsior CHARGE heavy-duty transit buses with an option to buy up to 140 more.

National Grid, a northeast utility company that supplies electricity to New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, has leveraged an electric school bus to help meet peak demand for electricity for the first time, in Beverly, Massachusetts. The Thomas Built electric school bus, equipped with a Proterra bidirectional battery charging system, successfully delivered electricity back to the power grid for more than 50 hours this summer. Highland Electric provided the bus, chargers and all of the electricity to the schools.

Mark your calendars and sign up here for “Transitioning Transit Buses to Zero-Emissions” which focuses on financing mechanisms, grid flexibility, and shared experiences from both coasts. The CALSTART and AlphaStruxure webinar takes place on November 16.

 

Resources

Automakers Spending Billions to Produce Battery Cells, CNBC | https://cnb.cx/3lYoPOb

Lucrative EV Batteries Storing Solar at Grid Scale, Canary Media | https://bit.ly/3vsdk4y

Here’s Every EV That Qualifies for a US Federal Tax Credit, electrek | https://bit.ly/3G4eMyS

Penske 1st Customer for Navistar MD Electric Truck, Freightwaves | https://bit.ly/3B0KMAr

Zeus Partners with EAVX on Electric Work Trucks, Automation.com | https://bit.ly/3pkXt71

Zeem Takes Delivery of 24 GreenPower EV Stars, News4 | https://bit.ly/3neeM6S

New Flyer Receives Order for Nearly 150 BE Buses, NGTNews | https://bit.ly/30AueTa

MA Electric School Bus Delivered Power Back to Grid, Green Car Congress | https://bit.ly/3C02wgH

Transitioning Transit Buses to Zero Emission, CALSTART Webinar | https://bit.ly/3aXiQCJ