NEWSNOTES | December 20, 2023
News Notes

President Biden is focusing on sustainable travel alternatives having produced a plan to cut emissions from federal employee travel. The new policy prioritizes electric vehicles (EV), using rail for distances up to 250 miles and using public transit. Climate change is the focus of the White House effort to standardize Tesla’s EV charging plugs for all EVs in the US. Yesterday, SAE International confirmed Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connector as a new standard.

Exelon has partnered with CALSTART and others in looking at how environmental justice, health and other benefits can be realized through the transition to electric school buses. Due to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act funding is available to electrify school buses around the country. Nine Exelon service areas have received $40 million in funding to electrify more than 100 buses in the first round of funding. Milan’s public transit operator ATM has commissioned Iveco to provide 153 electric buses and maintain the buses for more than ten years. The entire urban fleet of 1,200 electric buses will be converted.

Maryland has officially become the tenth state to adopt the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule. The rule sets targets for the delivery of zero-emissions medium-and heavy-duty vehicles that gradually increase every year.

Truck manufacturer Rivian is on track to build its second EV plant which will be home to Rivian’s R2 vehicles. Their first manufacturing plant, located in Normal, IL is where the R1T and R1S are made. The company has chosen Clayco as its partner to build the Georgia EV plant. Following a six-month pilot showing a reduction in energy costs and improved driver satisfaction, contract logistics provider DHL has deployed its first Class 8 electric trucks in California and in a few weeks will deploy their Freightliner and Volvo trucks across Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and California.

Canada has received three battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia semi-trucks to operate out of Walmart’ grocery distribution center in Surrey, British Columbia. Walmart plans to eventually have a 100% alternatively powered fleet.

Caterpillar has demonstrated its first battery electric prototype underground mining truck for Newmont Corporation. The two companies started working on this in 2021 with a goal of developing a fully connected, automated, zero carbon emitting, end-to-end mining system.

Inquiring minds want to know, and Chief Engineer Elf Quantum Watts is up to the task. The aim is to replace eight tiny reindeer with a magic propulsion electric motor drive that will seamlessly replicate the proven swiftness of team reindeer. From the Tesla-developed North American Charging System plug to a Red Nose Navigation strategy it appears that a zero-emission Christmas eve ride is on the horizon.

RESOURCES

Biden Administration Announces Decarbonization Policy, GreenBiz |http://tinyurl.com/n8x47t2z

White House Backs Tesla’s EV Charging Plugs, AP | http://tinyurl.com/4mrdhh68

Electric School Bus Transition Comes With Many Benefits, NGT News | http://tinyurl.com/yzx49e7y

Iveco  Bus Wins 153 e-buses in Milan, Sustainable Bus | http://tinyurl.com/yc73v44j

Maryland 10^th State to Adopt Clean Trucks Standards, Sierra Club | http://tinyurl.com/bdedrf5v

Rivian Partners to Build Mega-EV Plant, electrek | http://tinyurl.com/44j75f7c

DHL Goes Green: First Class 8 Electric Trucks. The EV Report | http://tinyurl.com/kctnjymj

Walmart Canada Fields First Electric Trucks, Electrive | http://tinyurl.com/5n6rdrwm

Caterpillar Demos first Electric Underground Haul Truck, Elko Daily | http://tinyurl.com/mr295n8w

Electrifying Santa’s Sleigh, EEPower | http://tinyurl.com/p234njth