NEWSNOTES | October 6, 2022
News Notes

They are hooked! Electric car buyers, that is. Axios is monitoring electric vehicle (EV) purchasing behaviors and most EV owners stick with electric vehicles for their next purchase, too. The options are growing with EV models increasing from 27 in July of last year to 45 a year later. Interest in EV ownership is growing in part due to a ten-year extension in federal tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. Electrek offers a more complete picture by detailing state level tax credits, too.

What is a transit option called that is somewhere between a bicycle and a car? Minimobility (a word not appreciated by spell check) is gaining traction in Europe with three- or four-wheeled electric-powered vehicles that carry one or two people. A new report by McKinsey Center for Future Mobility says the market for such vehicles could be $100 billion per year across China, Europe and North America. Price Waterhouse Coopers Strategy is offering forecasts as well. Theirs is that electric trucks will dominate the market by 2035. Zero-emission vehicles powered by batteries or fuel cells will account for one-third of all trucks in Europe, North America, and China, according to the report.

Construction and charger installation is underway at the Port of Los Angeles and thanks to an $8.4 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, WAVE’s wireless charging system has successfully been tested at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA). Ideanomics reports that the wireless charging system fully charged a Class 8 truck in less than 15 minutes.

Volvo Trucks North America has a robust plan for bringing Class 8 battery electric trucks to market. The company has set out to support fleet education throughout the truck purchase and operational journey. The company already has 18 dealerships in North America certified to work on electric trucks. And bravo, CALSTART members FedEx and Xos are working together. Xos, a manufacturer of battery electric trucks, has delivered 13 of its 100% battery-electric step vans to four FedEx Ground Operators in Kansas, California, Illinois and Kentucky.

Electric school buses are in high demand as well and the Environmental Protection Agency is doubling its funding to $1 billion. The first round of funding last May was $500 million but after strong demand from school districts the amount has been increased.

ElDorado National (California) or ENC has the next generation of its zero-emission products under development. Working with “best-in-class suppliers, they are developing groundbreaking low and zero-emission technology. ENC selected BAE Systems, a provider of electric drive systems and controls for the transit industry, as a partner.  Note to those of you who will be in Seattle next week for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Conference, BAE Systems and CALSTART will be there, too.  BAE is hosting CALSTART members at an invitation only reception that includes a ferry experience at the Bell Harbor Marina followed by a reception. If you are a CALSTART member and want to attend, reply to this email!

RESOURCES

Most EV Buyers Do not Switch Back to Gas, Axios | https://bit.ly/3e9Rcb4

Electric Vehicle Tax Credits and Rebates in U.S. by State, electrek| https://bit.ly/3V2m4Ld

‘Minimobility’ Could Fill the Gap Between Micromobility and EVs, UtilityDive | https://bit.ly/3CwoWZr

Electric Trucks Dominate Market by 2035, electrive | https://bit.ly/3rz1THc

Ideanomics Achieves Milestone for Ultra-Fast Charging, Metro | https://bit.ly/3CAkp8p

Volvo Highlights Support for Truck Electrification, Trucking info | https://bit.ly/3RxDyw0

FedEx Takes Delivery of Xos Electric Step Vans, NGT News | https://bit.ly/3SF1dvQ

EPA Doubles Electric School Bus Funding, electrek | https://bit.ly/3CAgGHR

ENC Drives Forward with Zero-Emission Buses, Mass Transit | https://bit.ly/3SZyvpi

2022 APTA Conference Tacoma-Seattle, APTA | https://bit.ly/3RT7djz