NEWSNOTES | October 19, 2022
News Notes

The Biden Administration has announced $2.8 billion that has been awarded to support domestic EV battery manufacturing and mineral production. Awards have been made to twenty manufacturers across fifteen states designed to further the developments of battery-grade graphite, lithium, and nickel to support EV production. CALSTART member Cirba Solutions is one of the recipients. Just in the nick of time, Li-Cycle is expanding their battery recycling footprint. The Canadian lithium-ion battery recycler has opened a battery recycling facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They also have plants in Gilbert, Arizona and Rochester, New York.

Enel X Way has formed a partnership with Sunrun which is a home solar, battery storage and clean energy service provider. The two companies are supplying smart Level 2 EV home charging stations. Sunrun is Ford’s official charging partner, and they specialize in solar technology while Enel X Way manufactures smart EV charging products. 

Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, has announced the delivery of TBB’s 200^th Proterra Powered Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley battery-electric school bus to Monroe County Public School in Indiana. TB and Proterra offer school bus operators a turn-key EV program that includes EV planning and funding consultation, electric school buses, charging systems, and charging infrastructure design and installation.

Volvo Trucks continues to bolster its capabilities and one focus for them is their end-to-end fleet electrification consulting. They recently spent a week bringing customers into their 2022 Electromobility Summit to showcase all they are doing in the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles. The company is focusing on education and additional services, transforming their sales operation into an electric transformation consultation and finance entity.

I am an enthusiastic fan of CALSTART member company ChargerHelp! Which was co-founded by the engaging duo of Kameale Terry and Evette Ellis. ChargerHelp! Is a fantastic model that fixes EV charging station while building an entire workforce of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) technicians. The company recently announced a partnership with Tesla to help survey their charging stations in California.

Even more innovation comes our way via black-owned companies in Chicago that have hyperlocal ride-hailing service to predominantly serve Black neighborhoods that are underserved. Two companies, GEST Chicago and Jitney EV have produced better last mile service alternatives. They launched the Dash EV pilot program in 2017 and believe these hyperlocal services can reduce dependence on cars.

Hyundai has plans to begin commercial production in the first half of 2025 having announced they will break ground this month on a $5.5 billion EV and battery “mega plant” in Savannah, Georgia. This is part of the Hyundai Group’s commitment of $10 billion by 2025 to foster future mobility in the U.S. including producing EVs.

If you are a Halloween geek, this may appeal to your inner spooky. This 18-second video teaser on the upcoming U.S.-bound Transit Trail Van has shadows, orange, red and yellow lights, some smoke and comes complete with heavy breathing but imagination will be required to get a feel for what the vehicle looks like.

RESOURCES

Biden White House Awards $2.8 Billion for EV Battery Production, Electrek | https://bit.ly/3gnbaj6

Li-Cycle Opens Battery Recycling Plant in Alabama, TechCrunch | https://tcrn.ch/3yPoUJW

Enel X Way, Sunrun Offers Smart EV Home Charging, NGT News | https://bit.ly/3gmITsY

Thomas Built and Proterra’s Electric School Buses, electrek | https://bit.ly/3EV3fnF

Volvo Trucks Fleet Electrification Consulting, CleanTechnica | https://bit.ly/3saaT5U

The Women Training EV Charging Technicians, Vice | https://bit.ly/3Dk3EPn

Black-owned Companies Closing Electric Transportation Gaps, Energy News Network | https://bit.ly/3eHeIfI

Hyundai EV Plant Ceremony, WTOC | https://bit.ly/3TupEMk

2023 Ford Transit Trail, Autoblog | https://bit.ly/3eEaWE4