Nuvve & DOE MOU for V2G
Nuvve Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: NVVE), a global cleantech company electrifying the planet at the intersection of energy and transportation through its intelligent energy platform, took part in a press event led by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work with government agencies, utilities, and electrification industry leaders to accelerate the commercialization of vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-building (V2B), vehicle-to-home (V2H), and other vehicle-grid integration (VGI) technologies. The DOE initiated this agreement to bring together a mix of public entities and private companies to ensure the electrification of electric vehicle (EV) fleets incorporates bidirectional charging that can send power back to the grid, thereby reducing building loads, providing grid services, and creating revenue opportunities for EV owners.
Nuvve was selected for its many years of experience commercially deploying V2G around the world, including solutions to electrify school buses and commercial fleets here in the U.S. The company has extensive experience working with transmission system operators (TSOs) around the world, including a recent approval from the TSO in Japan, to provide capacity and flexibility services to the grid. Nuvve’s intelligent energy management platform enables VGI at all levels – from smart charging and V1G to V2B/V2H and V2G – and acts as an “aggregator” to combine the power from a fleet of EV batteries to form virtual power plants (VPPs) that help stabilize the grid and prevent blackouts. Nuvve’s solution also utilizes energy stored in EVs to lower the energy demanded by buildings and homes and provide emergency back-up capabilities while meeting the mobility needs of drivers.
Nuvve has already assembled an ecosystem of electrification partners including automakers, EV dealers, charging infrastructure providers, technology solutions, and utilities to offer turnkey energy management solutions for different types of fleets, from school buses to municipal and last-mile delivery vehicles. Nuvve also recently announced a partnership with Swell Energy to combine V2G with solar generation and battery storage for both residential and commercial applications. Through its platform, Nuvve offers cost savings and new revenue opportunities to EV owners, helping to lower the total cost of ownership of EVs while creating a more sustainable grid.
Ford F-150 Lighting Strikes April 26
The countdown is on. April 26 marks the launch of the all-new, all-electric F-150® Lightning™ pickup.
Ford and UAW leaders will host customers and employees to celebrate the start of F-150 Lightning production at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford employees and F-150 Lightning customers will join the “Job 1” event for the first-ever full-size all-electric pickup to go on sale, a milestone moment in the country’s shift to electric vehicles.
Ford F-Series pickup has been America’s best-selling truck for 45 years in a row1 and is second only to the iPhone in revenue among all American consumer products, according to a 2020 study. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is an ultra-modern new facility within Ford’s historic Rouge Complex where Henry Ford perfected the moving assembly line and scaled the Model T.
The event begins April 26, 1:30 p.m. eastern and will be livestreamed at http://ford.to/LightningStrikes.
Penske Truck Buys 750 Ford E-Transit Vans
Penske Truck Leasing announced it has ordered 750 all-electric Ford E-Transit cargo vans. The company is taking delivery of its first several vehicles in the next several weeks. The move follows successfully piloting the vehicles late last year.
“We’re excited to help bring these new vehicles to market as both a rental and full-service lease option for our customers,” said Art Vallely, president of Penske Truck Leasing. “We continue to expand and diversify our fleet of electric vehicles and to offer new options for customers seeking more sustainable choices when it comes to transportation.”
Penske’s first Ford E-Transit vehicles will be made available in Southern California with other locations around the U.S. phased in later in the year. These are the first light-duty electric trucks to be made available in Penske’s rental and leasing fleet, as previously announced.
Once these Ford E-Transit electric zero tailpipe emission vehicles go into service, they will be made available for both rental and longer-term full-service leasing. Penske’s long-term plans include adding more of these units to its wider network of rental and leasing locations across North America.
The Ford E-Transit is the first all-electric cargo van from a full-line automaker in North America as the electric version of the Ford Transit. It has an estimated range of 126 miles.
Penske Truck Leasing will display the Ford E-Transit and other electric vehicles within its booth at the upcoming Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, California.
Envoy Tech Model Y @ South Beach
Envoy Technologies, Inc announced its entry into the hospitality market with the launch of a Tesla Model Y at the Mondrian South Beach. This revolutionary service will allow hotel guests to enjoy freedom of movement without the hassle and expense of traditional car rental services.
This is the first launch at a hotel for Envoy, having previously built its electric car share offering in multifamily housing and office building sectors. Public car share options have declined over the past year. Rental cars prices have significantly increased leaving drivers with less mobility options. Envoy perfectly fills this gap by providing on site electric car sharing as property amenity.
This revolutionary electric car service allows hotel guests to enjoy freedom of movement without hassle.
“We are thrilled with the launch of our first electric car share at a luxury hotel, the Mondrian South Beach,” said Aric Ohana, President & co-founder, Envoy. “This is our first entry into the hospitality market and, as a busy traveler myself, I know first hand how hard it can be to find reliable transportation in a new city.”
Hotel guests use the Envoy Mobility app to book the car.
“Mondrian South Beach is delighted to be the first hotel to offer Envoy, electric car sharing. Our guests will appreciate the ease of dedicated, immediate transportation right out of the lobby,” said Christina Gil, Director of Marketing, Mondrian South Beach. “The versatile Tesla Model Y crossover will offer plenty of space for guest parties to zip around Miami in comfort with all the innovative tech bells and whistles.”
This launch follows the news of further expansion in the Miami market with cars at The One University City (Global Cities) and Icon Las Olas (Related Group.
Atlis Supported by VCST
Atlis Motor Vehicles (ATLIS), a start-up mobility technology company developing an electric work truck and the batteries and motors to drive it, announced an effort with VCST, a world-class automotive supplier of powertrain components, to support its product development. ATLIS will integrate VCST’s e-drive gearbox solutions into its EV platform to help increase efficiency, range and enhance driving dynamics and overall performance.
The ATLIS XT is a purpose-built, fully electric truck designed to support people and fleet owners who work in agriculture, service, utility and construction industries. Belgium-headquartered VCST provides single and multispeed e-drives and components for engines, transmission and electronic brake systems for global automotive manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers.
The ATLIS XP skateboard platform is the base for the 500-mile range electric ATLIS XT pickup. The standard XP platform consists of two identical modular drive systems located in the front and rear of the vehicle, four traction motors, independent suspension, drive-by-wire technology and an ATLIS battery pack. The modular system is designed to be plug-and-play, from a pickup to a box truck to a flatbed and will enable the vehicle to be 100 percent serviceable by the owner, even on the side of the road.
Biliti Factory Being Built
California-based Biliti Electric Inc (Biliti) announced that it intends to setup the world’s largest electric three-wheeler factory in India’s Telangana state, with a production capacity of 240,000 electric vehicles each year. The new plant is estimated to drive private investment of USD 150 million and expected to create over 3,000 jobs in the State aligning with the State’s policy to become a global hub for electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage manufacturing.
Biliti currently operates through an exclusive manufacturing partnership with Hyderabad-based Gayam Motor Works (GMW) for manufacturing its three-wheelers. Biliti’s Taskman™ is a popular last-mile delivery vehicle which is deployed in 15 countries across the globe including Japan, USA, UK, France, Portugal, Germany, Lebanon, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Nepal, Bangladesh, Dubai and India, and has covered over 20 million miles. In addition to the manufacturing facility, it has assembly plants in the US, Portugal, and Kenya. Taskman™ is being used by Amazon, IKEA, Wasoko (Sokowatch), BigBasket (Tata), Zomato, Flipkart (Walmart), Grofers among others.
Investments in HBR Retriev Holdco, LLC
-Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc. (Nasdaq: HCCI), a leading provider of parts cleaning, hazardous and non-hazardous waste services, used oil re-refining, antifreeze recycling and field services primarily focused on small and mid-sized customers, announced an investment in its battery recycling partner, HBR Retriev Holdco, LLC (Retriev), through its operating subsidiary, Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC (HCC).
Retriev is an integrated battery recycling platform that includes the operations of Heritage Battery Recycling, Retriev Technologies, and Battery Solutions. Retriev is the only complete service provider for lithium and cross-chemistry in the industry, offering battery-centric logistics, collection program solutions and second-life applications. This investment, together with the logistics services agreement HCC executed with Retriev earlier this year, positions HCC to further capitalize on the opportunity to provide comprehensive collection and recycling services to businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The circular battery supply chain is complex. Ensuring a robust network of battery-centric logistics focused on safety and compliance are critical to the success of this sector. HCC’s strategic locations will support Retriev’s growing demand in end-of-life battery collection and logistics.
First Student Wins Grants for School Bus Electrification
First Student, the leader in school bus transportation in North America, announces the winning of grants in California, Rhode Island, Missouri, Illinois, Oregon, and Montana to expand school bus electrification.
First Student partnered with customers to write, complete, and win grant applications securing funding to introduce electric school buses into their fleets. Funding sources come from various sources, including federal, state, and local initiatives. Regional utility providers are also providing capital for charging infrastructure to supplement the costs for local school districts.
In helping school districts move to electrification, the cost savings of bus maintenance, fuel and operation can be pushed back to the classroom. Replacing a diesel school bus with an electric one will eliminate as much as 14-16 tons of greenhouse gas annually, the equivalent of filling 500,000 birthday balloons.
“We are proud to partner with school districts to win grant applications and provide turnkey solutions for school bus electrification,” said Kevin L. Matthews, First Student’s Head of Electrification. “As the leader in school bus transportation, First Student is committed to leading the way in school bus electrification.”
In May 2021, First Student announced the largest zero-emission school bus order in North America of 260 buses.
DENSO Partners with DOE for Better Plants
DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, is an official partner in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Plants program. One of DENSO’s Two Great Causes is “Green” – achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. Collaborating with the DOE helps DENSO reach its sustainability goals by reducing the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations and energy use.
Five of DENSO’s U.S. manufacturing sites are part of the program, including facilities in Athens and Maryville, Tennessee; Osceola, Arkansas; Statesville, North Carolina; and Battle Creek, Michigan. Through the initiative, more than 950 plants share proven energy-efficiency strategies and best practices. The lessons learned from the partnership will help shape DENSO’s sustainability activities across the region.
This innovative collaboration plus DENSO’s long-time commitment to continuous improvement (kaizen) will help DENSO reduce its energy use by 25% by 2030. This goal also aligns with DENSO’s overall commitment to use 40% less energy by 2035.
“Partnering with the Department of Energy and other leaders in energy innovation is an important step in helping us quickly pave the way for a safer, greener mobility future,” said Denise Carlson, vice president of the North America Production Innovation Center at DENSO. “We’re developing technologies that support a better planet, and we’re also focused on how we can make sustainability gains in our manufacturing operations and energy use across the company, from our offices to our production facilities.”
Breezeline EVs
Breezeline, formerly Atlantic Broadband, the nation’s eighth-largest cable operator, announced that the company has begun to deploy electric vehicles (EVs), a key step in its commitment to reduce its operational emissions by 65% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The company has deployed the first electric vehicle into what will be a fleet of electric vehicles used by Breezeline sales teams starting this year in New Hampshire and West Virginia, with plans in the coming years to also transition technician vans and trucks to electric. The rear of the vehicles displays the company’s stated commitment of being “On the road to zero emissions.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for the largest portion (27%) of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (based on 2020 data). Greenhouse gas emissions, in turn, are a factor in global warming and other negative environmental impacts.
Other Breezeline initiatives designed to reduce the company’s environmental impacts include:
- Breezeline will use Power Purchase Agreements to generate renewable energy and reduce electricity emissions. The company intends to obtain 100% of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030, with an approved science-based emissions reduction target.
- Breezeline will also reduce its non-operational emissions by 30%. This includes reducing the environmental impact of equipment used in customer homes. New product innovations like IPTV, which Breezeline has recently introduced, relies on equipment that uses a fraction of the energy of traditional set top boxes.
- Breezeline is also reducing employee commuting hours through the introduction of a FlexWork policy, which became effective this year.
XCMG’s Verdant Mountain Action
Keeping with the theme of ‘Invest in Our Planet’ as part of Earth Day 2022, XCMG (SHE:000425) is highlighting the urgency of advancing its clean energy business development, as well as the push for research and development in electric power, electric products, and hydrogen energy product upgrades as part of its green efforts.
In March, XCMG launched the Verdant Mountain Action brand, which followed the group’s release of the first “dual carbon” development guideline in Chinese construction machinery at the beginning of 2022, with the aim of achieving a market penetration rate of 35% for new energy products by 2035.
The Verdant Mountain Action brand was developed as the foundation of XCMG’s latest full-range energy loaders, including charging, external power, power exchange and intelligent models, and multiple LNG loaders, all of which will meet the operational requirements of various application scenarios such as steel, coal, ports and mines and allow customers to reduce emission and see high-value returns.
As one of the pioneers of energy heavy truck manufacturers in China, XCMG has landed several pilot projects of power exchange heavy trucks with top sales performance in the industry. XCMG Automotive is accelerating the development of new energy core components and related technologies to build even more core competitive advantages in the new energy sector.
XCMG’s new energy heavy-duty trucks, including pure electric, hybrid power and hydrogen fuel cell products, are leading the charge. In March, 266 new energy heavy-duty trucks were registered, with a total of 882 heavy-duty trucks sold in the first quarter. XCMG is leading the industry for first-quarter sales with a market share of 18.65%, with the new energy motor tractors also ranking at the top. At present, XCMG has more than 2,000 contract orders for new energy trucks with the annual target expected to exceed 5,000.
In March, XCMG has also signed joint-venture agreements with SPIC, Enneagon Energy and Lance Shield Machinery to enter the power exchange equipment production and station construction sectors, a landmark event as XCMG invests in the supporting facilities construction of the new energy industry chain.
XCMG’s recent energy strategic cooperation agreement with GCL, a leading group in wind and hydrogen energy storage and integration of source, network, load and storage, will bring leverage both companies’ advantages in technology, market and resources to carry out extensive cooperation in the fields of power exchange heavy truck product R&D and construction of power exchange stations.
“The development of charging and power exchange is key for XCMG to tackle new technology strategy and expand the new industrial ecosystem, XCMG will implement a series of projects to establish a nationally influential new energy vehicle industry cluster that’ driven by innovation and core competitive advantages,” Wang said.