NEWSNOTES | May 31, 2023
News Notes

Early in 2024, Ford owners will have access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada.  Ford will begin equipping its EVs with built-in ports for connecting to Tesla’s proprietary North American Charging Standard (NACS). Ford EVs will feature a built-in Tesla charging socket, removing the need for a hardware adapter. Additionally, Ford plans to add 1,800 public fast chargers and locations as part of its BlueOval network by early 2024. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $400 million in grants through its Clean School Bus Program which pays for electric, propane and compressed natural gas buses. Their particular interest is in disadvantaged communities with a priority on low income, rural and tribal schools. Repower solutions aren’t included. The deadline for applications is August 22, 2023. Blue Bird is busy building out their new manufacturing facility in Fort Valley, Georgia where they are growing their electric school bus production from four to twenty vehicles a day. Their long-term production capacity is 5,000 electric school buses a year. 

Foothill Transit has ordered 19 hydrogen fuel-cell buses from ElDorado National (California). Foothill has 359 buses in its fleet which operates in Southern California. The new Axess EVO-FC buses are powered by the BAE Systems Gen3 electric propulsion system. 

Michigan-based manufacturer Shyft Group is about to introduce a range of electric trucks and vans under the name Blue Arc. The company will start pilot production this summer and has already received an order for 2,000 Blue Arc vehicles from one of its major dealer/distributors.  Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino will merge under a new arrangement made by their parent corporations Daimler Truck and Toyota Motor. The companies will collaborate on the development of commercial vehicles as well as procurement and production. Their focus is on advancing zero-emissions and connected vehicles.  

Israeli-based Ree Automotive, a provider of EV platforms, has announced a Class 4 chassis cab offering a new cabin design built on Ree’s P7 modular electric platform. The design will meet the requirements laid out for Inflation Reduction Act incentives which are more stringent for Class 4 and above EVs. Certification is in the works and is expected to be completed later this year. 

David Blekhman, a Forbes contributor and professor at Cal State Los Angeles, had a chance to meet with executives from Volvo to talk about progress made since the joint venture between Volvo and Daimler three years ago. Insights shared include fuel cell truck testing, construction equipment, autonomous vehicle development, and a commitment to achieving a net-zero society.  

Moxion’s mobile battery energy storage system (BESS) took center stage recently as they announced plans to build a manufacturing plant in California. Governor Newsom was there and rolled out the state’s clean energy roadmap called “Building the Electricity Grid of the Future: California’s Clean Energy Transition Plan.” The Moxion facility is at the former Ford Point Assembly Plant and the date when it will become operational is still to be determined. The company investors include Amazon and Microsoft. 

Here’s a Save the Date reminder. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and CALSTART are hosting a Zero-Emission Truck and Off-Road Equipment Showcase and Ride & Drive on June 21, 2023, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. For more information and to register, click here.

RESOURCES 

Tesla is About to Make Charging Ford EVs a Lot Easier, INVERSE | https://rb.gy/76cf9

$400M for Low-Emission School Buses, SmartCitiesDive | https://rb.gy/7lwg8

Blue Bird Increasing Electric Bus Manufacturing, NGT News | https://shorturl.at/rAB08 

Foothill Orders 19 ENC Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Buses, Metro Magazine | https://shorturl.at/prRV3 

Shyft Group Launching Medium-Duty Electric Vans, Trucks, The Print | https://rb.gy/w2h5z 

Daimler Truck, Toyota Strike Deal to Advance Zero-Emissions Truck Tech, Trucking Info | https://rb.gy/xxa1h 

Ree Automotive to Add Chassis Cab to Its Electric Truck Lineup, ChargedEVs | https://rb.gy/7kafz 

Volvo’s Hydrogen Trucks: A 3-year Journey, Forbes | https://tinyurl.com/5n7cbj3e 

Moxion Launches California Manufacturing Plant, Energy Storage News | https://tinyurl.com/2ar4z6ma