NEWSNOTES | August 2, 2023
News Notes

Electric vehicles (EVs) are surging everywhere, including Capitol Hill, perhaps signaling a trend toward growing acceptance of EVs. Politico is out with a list of 25 members of Congress who drive EVs and the early adopters are from both sides of the aisle. General Motors and EVgo have a mission to install 3,250 fast chargers in metro areas throughout the country. Yesterday they heralded the opening of their 1,000^th fast charging installation in Woodbridge, Illinois.

From California to Texas Tesla’s mission is to install nine semi-truck charging stations to cover an 1,800-mile charging corridor. This model is the first of its kind in the U.S. and would facilitate electrified trucking. Tesla is eyeing federal grants from the bipartisan infrastructure bill at an estimated cost of $100 million. Israeli company Electreon is applying their inductive charging solution everywhere from Europe and the Middle East to North America where the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has a five year agreement with the company. Their technology can be embedded in roads or parking lots and can charge everything from cars to buses and trucks.

Michigan-based Eaton, a leading power management company, has an EV Charging Busway that promises to revolutionize charging system flexibility and modularity with existing electrical systems. It provides a plug-and-play solution, enabling the addition and expansion of charging infrastructure without rewiring.

Xos, Inc. is a California-based manufacturer of Class 5 through Class 8 battery-electric vehicles and powertrains that also provides charging infrastructure and fleet management software. The company has secured a significant purchase order from UniFirst Corporation that includes 30 additional Xos SV Step vans. This is part of an MOU to purchase 200 vehicles from Xos.  Nikola Motor has received a new order for their trucks from J.B. Hunt. The purchase is for 13 zero-emission trucks which include ten battery-electric and three fuel cell-powered vehicles. The hydrogen and fueling infrastructure come from Nikola’s H2 brand HYLA that was launched earlier this year.

Iveco Group is another company that wants to produce and market battery-electric and fuel-cell trucks under its own name. In May of this year Iveco took full ownership of a European joint venture with Nikola Corp., as the US-based electric truck maker exited Europe to focus on its home market.  Iveco recently unveiled the Iveco Heavy Duty BEV at the Truck Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

As students head back to school, momentum is building as fleet operators look to transition to electric school buses. And just in time, the World Resources Institute has published a catalog that provides an analysis of the school bus market as well as a school bus buyer’s guide, complete with vehicle specifications. Many CALSTART member companies were called upon to offer their insights.

RESOURCES

25 Members of Congress Who Drive EVs, Politico | https://tinyurl.com/56pkctsr

EVgo and GM Hit 1,000^th Charger Milestone, SmartCitiesDive | https://tinyurl.com/5n7azn33

Tesla Planning Nine Semi Charging Stations from CA to TX, INSIDEEVs | https://tinyurl.com/jpv5dj84

Electreon Sparking Electric Truck Sales, the NEWS | https://tinyurl.com/yc27yp5p

Eaton Launching EV Charging Busway for Fleets, NGT News | https://tinyurl.com/28p5mrz2

Xos Secures 30-Truck Order from UniFirst, The EV Report | https://tinyurl.com/ykbk2559

J.B. Hunt buys Nikola Electric Trucks, TB&P | https://tinyurl.com/5n6m36cb

Iveco to Manufacture BEV and FCEV Trucks in Europe, electrive.com | https://tinyurl.com/b6wdf7m9

Electric School Bus Market Study and Guide, CleanTechnica | https://tinyurl.com/2pdxtf9b