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Most PEV Battery Packs Sold In USA — Made in USA
According to Argonne National Laboratory, most battery cells and battery packs in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) sold in the United States from 2010 to 2021 were domestically produced. In terms of total energy capacity in gigawatt-hours (GWh), 57% of battery cells and 84% of battery packs were produced in the United States. The three largest foreign suppliers in cell production were Japan, South Korea, and Poland. Japan, Germany, and South Korea were the largest foreign suppliers of battery packs. While the majority of cells were produced in the United States, they may contain materials from other countries.
Subway Parnters with GenZ EV
Subway®, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, and GenZ EV Solutions, a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, are partnering on an EV Charging Oasis of the future.
Through the partnership, the brands envision a more seamless experience for EV drivers with the installation of Subway Oasis charging parks at select locations—charging canopies with multiple ports, picnic tables, Wi-Fi, restrooms, green space and even playgrounds. As part of a multi-year plan to rollout the Subway Oasis, smaller-format, fast EV charging stations will be piloted at select, new or newly remodeled restaurants across the U.S., starting in 2023.
GenZ EV Solutions works with RED E Charging, a fast-growing EV charging network, to provide proprietary software, with immense uptime and reliability, as well as operating expertise for the EV charging stations and Subway Oasis.
Thomas Built with Proterra School Buses Reach 1 Million Miles
Thomas Built Buses (TBB) and Proterra Inc announced that TBB’s Proterra Powered Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses have driven more than one million miles for school districts across North America. With more than 300 electric school buses on the road, today’s announcement represents a major operational milestone just as historic federal funding, like the EPA’s Clean School Bus program, becomes available to drive adoption of zero-emission school buses in the United States.
“Reaching one million miles with our C2 Jouley is a testament to our commitment to sustainable transportation and the continued success of our best-in-class electric product and partnership with Proterra,” said Nick Rini, director of the Freightliner Specialty Vehicles eMobility Group. “Together, we are paving the way for a cleaner and more efficient future for our kids, communities and the transportation industry.”
TBB and Proterra offer school bus operators a comprehensive, turn-key electric vehicle program that includes EV planning and funding consultation, electric school buses, charging systems, and charging infrastructure design and installation. The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley couples 226 kWh of onboard energy from Proterra Powered’s industry-leading battery technology to offer up to 135 miles of drive range to meet the needs of school bus fleets.
Oshkosh Engineered Refuse Trucks
Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, is pleased to announce that it has engineered and produced North America’s first fully integrated, electric refuse collection vehicle, creating a new category and bringing advanced technology to the refuse industry.
Traditional refuse vehicles require the mounting of a refuse collection body to a third-party chassis. The new Oshkosh integrated refuse collector has been designed from the ground up to offer customers a single original equipment manufacturer (OEM) electric vehicle (EV) solution.
“Entry into new product categories is a crucial element of our ‘Innovate. Serve. Advance.’ growth strategy,” said John Pfeifer, president and chief executive officer of Oshkosh Corporation. “With a deep heritage in the design and manufacture of purpose-built, heavy-duty trucks coupled with field-proven refuse body technology, Oshkosh is uniquely positioned to develop this integrated vehicle. Our vast innovation capabilities are evident in every aspect of this first-of-its-kind product.”
Oshkosh leaned into its nearly 30 years of electrification expertise to bring its latest vehicle to market. This electrified refuse collector features a sophisticated drivetrain that includes advanced lithium-ion batteries and a revolutionary electric-axle system. The vehicle will enable a full day’s refuse collection on a single charge with zero emissions. It was designed to minimize environmental impact and reduce noise in communities around the world, while helping customers meet their sustainability initiatives.
“When Oshkosh engineers began this project, they put both the customer and user experiences at the center of our design,” said Pfeifer. “For the buyer, chassis selection and integration are eliminated. For the driver, active safety systems, performance technologies and ergonomic features deliver best-in-class safety, comfort and productivity. And for the technician, intelligent, connected systems reduce routine service and enable condition-based maintenance.”
Manufacturing of Oshkosh’s integrated, electric refuse collection vehicle will leverage several Oshkosh facilities, including a new, state-of-the-art plant in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Product prototype testing on designated routes will be completed in 2023, with customer deliveries starting in 2024.
For more information on Oshkosh innovation, including the new refuse collection vehicle, please visit oshkoshcorp.com or stop by McNeilus booth 2429 at Waste Expo May 1-4, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Republic Services Scales with Oshkosh
Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG), a leader in the environmental services industry, announced plans to significantly scale its electric truck fleet through a long-term deal with Oshkosh Corporation. It will begin operating two fully integrated electric recycling and waste truck prototypes this fall, and expects EVs to represent half of its new truck purchases in the next five years.
Republic operates the country’s fifth largest vocational fleet with 17,000 trucks, with electric collection trucks currently operating in two states. The Company has made the industry’s largest commitment to fleet electrification through a multi-supplier vendor strategy. Oshkosh’s McNeilus business unit is one of Republic’s longtime providers of recycling and waste collection truck bodies.
Republic provided insights to Oshkosh engineers regarding operational, safety and ergonomic features for the truck. The chassis and body are designed as a single unit, maximizing interior space and creating a unique, streamlined exterior. Safety features include an enlarged windshield for improved visibility, 360-degree cameras, lane-departure sensors and automated braking.
First Student EV in OR in GBSD
First Student, the leader in school bus electrification, announces the company’s first electric school bus in Oregon, supporting the Gresham-Barlow School District (GBSD). First Student partnered with GBSD to secure a grant from Portland General Electric’s (PGE) School Bus Fund.
First Student’s team of electric vehicle experts assisted the district through the grant application, infrastructure design, charger and bus selection, utility outreach and construction, and deployment. First Student is the largest operator of electric school buses in North America with more than one million miles of service with EVs.
Nikola 4th H2 Station in Sacramento
Nikola launches more stations and gets order for 20 Tre trucks.
Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, announced its HYLA brand’s fourth California hydrogen station location, building on its planned station network to advance and scale its long-term hydrogen distribution solutions to service market demand. Nikola’s integrated energy and zero-emissions truck portfolio will be underpinned by developing hydrogen supply and refueling infrastructure, an essential step in helping to decarbonize the heavy-duty transport sector.
The West Sacramento.station will further support Nikola’s truck demand, as well as third-party heavy-duty hydrogen electric vehicles. By the end of 2026, it is anticipated that Nikola, via its HYLA brand, will have 60 stations in place to support this growth. The HYLA hydrogen refueling stations, along with a comprehensive energy supply, will provide Nikola’s customers the support needed to seamlessly transition their fleets to zero-emissions.
The latest California refueling station and logistics infrastructure location will be in the city of West Sacramento. This station will further support Nikola’s truck demand, as well as third-party heavy-duty hydrogen electric vehicles. By the end of 2026, it is anticipated that Nikola, via its HYLA brand, will have 60 stations in place to support this growth.
Nikola, via HYLA, is bringing comprehensive zero-emission heavy-duty trucking energy solutions to market and West Sacramento is ideal due to the number of distribution centers and density of trucking and logistics traffic. Each station within the HYLA hydrogen network will serve as an important step in the delivery of a broader array of hydrogen fueling solutions to the commercial trucking industry.
The Nikola Tre hydrogen electric vehicle is now eligible for the California Air Resources Board Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project program. This approval will now enable customers of Nikola’s Tre hydrogen electric vehicle to access a point-of-sale incentive starting at $240,000 and ranging up to $288,000 per truck, in 2023. Customers may also be eligible for a $40,000 clean commercial vehicle tax credit from the federal government due to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, E.ON and Richter Group, announced a Letter of Intent for an initial order of 20 Class 8, heavy-duty Nikola Tre hydrogen electric vehicles and the hydrogen needed to supply them.
Richter Group is a leading provider of individual logistics services comprising hub and direct transport solutions for courier, express and parcel clients. Located in Germany, it currently owns a fleet of over 160 diesel-powered trucks with loading and unloading points in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom.
Nikola and E.ON intend to help Richter Group decarbonize its vehicle fleet by providing hydrogen electric trucks, the required green hydrogen, and the refuelling infrastructure through the previously announced joint venture that is to be established in the upcoming weeks.
ChargePoint & Fisker
ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CHPT), a leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network, and Fisker, Inc. (NYSE: FSR) (“Fisker”), driven by a mission to create the world’s most emotional and sustainable electric vehicles, announced an agreement to enhance the driver experience and provide seamless charging access wherever and whenever Fisker Ocean drivers need it.
“Fisker, as a born electric car company without the constraints of the fossil fuel era, continues to push the envelope of design,” said Pasquale Romano, CEO, ChargePoint.
The ChargePoint network includes more than 210,000 active ports under management, with over 16,700 DC fast charge ports and over 400,000 roaming ports in North America, making it easy to find reliable charging. The two companies intend to make it easy for drivers to access ChargePoint’s industry-leading network of Level 2 and DC fast chargers, and roaming partner stations, which together encompass more than 80% of public charging spots in North America. Through the ChargePoint mobile app, drivers can quickly and conveniently find, use, and pay for charging enabled by ChargePoint’s charging network. ChargePoint’s mobile app also gives drivers the ability to track and view all of their home and public charging data in one place.
“The minute they get their new Fisker Ocean, our owners need convenient and easy-to-locate public charge stations, a quick, easy experience when using a public charger, and super-simple payment options. Together with ChargePoint, we are providing a class-leading public charging option for Fisker owners at delivery,” Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said. “ChargePoint is a leading charging network in North America, and their commitment to sustainable mobility makes the partnership a perfect fit for our customers and our business.”
The scale of the ChargePoint network is generating a positive environmental impact. With over five billion electric miles driven to date, drivers have avoided over 200 million gallons of gasoline, and over 940,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Sterling Plateau Site Development
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (NasdaqGS: STRL) (“Sterling”) announced that its subsidiary, Plateau of its E-Infrastructure Solutions segment, was awarded one of its largest site development projects, encompassing over 600 acres, by Hyundai Engineering America, Inc.
The state of Georgia continues to see significant investments in the growing electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. The new EV battery manufacturing plant in Bartow County is one of the largest economic development projects in the state’s history. Plateau was selected due to a combination of its experience, exemplary track record, and unparalleled capabilities on large-scale, schedule-intensive site development projects.
IIT Develop Lithium Air Battery
Many owners of electric cars have wished for a battery pack that could power their vehicle for more than a thousand miles on a single charge. Researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have developed a lithium-air battery that could make that dream a reality. The team’s new battery design could also one day power domestic airplanes and long-haul trucks.
The main new component in this lithium-air battery is a solid electrolyte instead of the usual liquid variety. Batteries with solid electrolytes are not subject to the safety issue with the liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion and other battery types, which can overheat and catch fire.
More importantly, the team’s lithium-air solid electrolyte design can potentially boost the battery’s energy density by as much as four times above lithium-ion batteries, which translates into longer driving range.
The team’s new solid electrolyte is composed of a ceramic polymer material made from relatively inexpensive elements in nanoparticle form. This new solid enables chemical reactions that produce lithium oxide on discharge.
In past lithium-air designs, the lithium in a lithium metal anode moves through a liquid electrolyte to combine with oxygen during the discharge, yielding lithium peroxide or superoxide at the cathode. The lithium peroxide or superoxide is then broken back down into its lithium and oxygen components during the charge. This chemical reaction stores and releases energy on demand.
The chemical reaction yielding lithium oxide involves four electrons stored per oxygen molecule, whereas that for lithium superoxide or peroxide only involves one or two electrons. More electrons stored translates into higher energy density.
The team’s lithium-air design is the first lithium-air test cell that has achieved a four-electron reaction at room temperature. It also operates with oxygen supplied by air from the surrounding environment. The capability to run with air avoids the need for oxygen tanks to operate, a problem with earlier designs.
With further development, the team expects their new battery design could reach a record energy density of 1,200 watt-hours per kilogram, nearly four times better than lithium-ion batteries.
Autel Energy New EV Charger
Autel Energy is announcing the availability of its newest electric vehicle charger, the MaxiCharger AC Ultra, now in stock in North America. With an elegant aesthetic, this charger has been designed, engineered, and tested to exceed commercial-grade reliability and durability. The AC Ultra, with its dual charging ports, multiple network capabilities, robust all-weather resistance, and eight-inch advertising-ready touchscreen, is the ideal EV charging solution for any commercial environment.
“The AC Ultra is an EV game changer. With high power and performance this charger will work when you need it to work,” said Kelvin Cao, Vice President of Global Marketing. “It will charge two vehicles simultaneously, each at 19.2 kilowatts of AC power, an innovation that makes Autel the undisputed leader in electric vehicle charging solutions.”
The AC Ultra is OCPP compliant, featuring an eight-inch LCD touchscreen, a pedestal, and a charging cable management system.
Juniper EV Charging Revenue
A new study from Juniper Research has found revenue from EV (Electric Vehicle) charging will exceed $300 billion globally by 2027; up from $66 billion in 2023. The report, EV Charging: Key Opportunities, Regional Analysis & Market Forecasts 2023-2027, found fragmentation in charging networks is restricting EV adoption.
Chargers are overwhelmingly located in urban areas; leading to widespread range anxiety among potential drivers. This is coupled with the difficulty of accessing charging points via different apps and cards, as well as lack of standards for charging vehicles at the same rate. As such, EV charging networks must simplify access and work with local authorities to roll out chargers to a wider range of locations, or the EV market will struggle to accelerate.
Siemens Tops Juniper Research Competitor Leaderboard
The research assessed leading EV charging vendors and evaluated them on a number of criteria, including depth and breadth of offerings, innovation and future prospects; providing extensive analysis of the competitive landscape in this dynamic market.
The Competitor Leaderboard ranked the three leading vendors as follows:
- Siemens
- ChargePoint
- ABB
Research author Jordan Rookes explained further: “Siemens demonstrates an intricate knowledge of the market; targeting currently underserved segments, particularly public transport and fleets. Competing vendors must diversify their portfolio away from just home and public chargers, and start targeting alternative high-growth market segments to maximise their market share.”
Charging Vendors Must Leverage Loyalty to Differentiate
The research also predicts by 2027, the total number of plug-in vehicles will surpass 137 million globally; up from 49 million in 2023. As this adoption grows, charging vendors must differentiate their services in a highly fragmented market. As such, it is important for EV charging vendors to target consumers as early as possible to build brand loyalty. Accordingly, vendors must develop strategic partnerships with automotive manufacturers, offering benefits such as discounted rates to encourage owners of certain EV brands to use their charging stations; helping EV charging vendors remain competitive.
Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports, and industry commentary.
ComED EV Rally Seeks Young Women
With Women’s History Month just around the corner, ComEd is excited to announce the return of its signature science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program for future women’s history-makers, the ComEd EV Rally. Young women in Illinois can now apply to participate in the annual summer event, a competition that challenges teen girls to build and race high-tech, electric-powered go-carts. This year, ComEd is increasing the number of participants to 45, from 30 last year, who will work with women from ComEd to explore career pathways in STEM.
The application is open to any female Illinois resident between the ages of 13 and 18. Applications are available at ComEdEVRally.com; the application period will close on Thursday, June 1.
New Toyota EV Tool for Incentives
Toyota customers considering the purchase of a new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) have a new tool at their disposal to help find available incentives. Now available on Toyota.com, the Toyota EV Incentive Finder powered by EV Life makes finding federal, state and even municipality incentives much simpler. Using EV Life’s proprietary “Incentives Engine,” Toyota customers will be presented with potential incentives of the available 470+ EV tax credits, rebates, and other benefits like HOV carpool decals and toll discounts.