Nikola Wholesales 72 Class 8 Fuel Cell Trucks
Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, wholesaled 72 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell trucks, above the high end of truck sales guidance of 60 units.
“We have maintained our 2024 momentum with solid wholesale numbers, new customers such as Walmart Canada, and repeat customers like 4GEN and IMC, purchasing vehicles through our dealer network,” said Nikola CEO Steve Girsky. “We are firmly on the field and are continuing to secure our first-mover advantage in zero-emissions Class 8 trucks in North America, as well as with our HYLA hydrogen refueling solutions.”
All Nikola trucks are assembled in Coolidge, Ariz.
Highest Cost Savings by EVs in NW, Idaho & Washington
Argonne National Laboratory estimated fuel cost savings potential for replacing a gasoline vehicle with the same size electric vehicle on a ZIP code level. Their estimates showed that the states in the Northwest region, led by Idaho and Washington State, had some of the highest potential for fuel cost savings when switching to electric vehicles. This is likely attributable to several factors including low electricity prices, high gasoline prices, and the vehicle population in those states which tend to be larger vehicles like pickup trucks. The more fuel a vehicle consumes, the greater the potential for fuel cost savings when switching to an electric vehicle.
Stellantis & CEA Partner for Battery Cell Design
Stellantis and CEA, one of the world’s most innovative research institutions, announced a new, five-year collaboration that targets in-house design of next-generation battery cells for electric vehicles. This joint research program includes designing advanced technology cells with higher performance, a longer lifespan and a lower carbon footprint at competitive costs, which can lead to more affordable & sustainable battery electric vehicles in the future.
“We know that battery technology is poised for change. While we don’t know exactly how it will change, we are committed to be at the forefront of this transformation. Internally, we are working around the clock placing multiple bets and exploring various technologies. At the same time, we are collaborating closely with tech startups, laboratories, universities, and the most prestigious research institutions in the world like CEA. We believe that this collaboration will accelerate the arrival of disruptive battery cell technology, supporting our mission to offer clean, safe and affordable mobility to our customers,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis Chief Engineering and Technology Officer.
Through its Energy Division, CEA provides advanced innovations for decarbonization. As a Research and Technological Organization (RTO), CEA’s first goal is to support industry through innovation and technological breakthrough, allowing market differentiation and competitive advantage for its partners.
“CEA is proud to support Stellantis with an ambitious multi-year R&D program on battery cells, which takes place in the frame of CEA/Stellantis global partnership. This exciting project makes the best use of more than 25 years of expertise in the field of Li-ion batteries at CEA to the benefit of one of the major automotive actors in the competitive race for electrical mobility. Our challenge is to speed up design and fabrication and to allow deep understanding of the most advanced cells technologies by sharing our expertise, skills and vision,” said Philippe Stohr, Head of CEA Energy division.
The goal of the joint battery cell program is to provide more affordable, next-generation EV batteries with best-in-class technologies to Stellantis and its joint venture gigafactories.
The battery cell design program reinforces a 20-year dynamic collaboration with CEA. Other areas of joint research include disruptive chemistries and CO2 footprint research, battery modeling, fuel cell development, life cycle assessment and connectivity.
The collaboration is the latest example of Stellantis’ continuing drive to achieve the goals of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan. Stellantis is on track to become a carbon net zero corporation by 2038, all scopes included, with single-digit percentage compensation of remaining emissions.
Davis PairTree Solar-Powered EV Charging
The City of Davis announced that it is making EV charging easier for the public with the installation of a PairTree™ microgrid solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station from Paired Power. The new station with two EV charge ports is located in the Boy Scout Parking Lot (at 616 First Street). The installation is one of the components in the City’s EV Charging Infrastructure Phase 1 project.
PairTree™ is the flagship product of Paired Power, a Bay Area-based, solar-powered EV charger manufacturer. This is the first time this specific technology has been installed in the Sacramento region. The PairTree™ charger is compatible with all major EV and PHEV models. It has a Level 2 charging rate with up to 7.7kW for one EV or 4 kW per vehicle for two EVs.
“The City chose PairTree because of its quick-to-install solution that greatly lessens construction time and costs compared to a traditional fixed charger installation,” said Mayor Josh Chapman. “This location is ideal because it is right off Interstate 80 and in the heart of downtown. We encourage anyone using the chargers to explore our downtown and all it has to offer.”
“It’s an honor to be selected to provide the first public solar microgrid charger for the City of Davis delivering renewable energy for EV charging,” said Paired Power CEO, Tom McCalmont. “Our engineers designed PairTree to provide resilient charging that is fully solar powered and delivers EV charging regardless of grid availability. Our stations deliver reliable solar power to serve communities that are focused on a cleaner, safer environment.”
The City has opted for these EV chargers to be open to all users at no cost initially. This makes the charging process incredibly simple – just plug in an EV and charging will start automatically. Unplug to stop the charging process. The City collects no personal information from the charge sessions, but will be able to collect aggregated data about sessions and usage for its sustainability reports.
Note that the Boy Scout parking lot does have a two-hour time limit that will be enforced and this includes those parking in EV and/or accessible parking spaces. Removing the charging cable and re-plugging in after the two-hour time limit will prohibit additional charging.
Currently, the City has fixed EV chargers located in the City Hall parking lot. The City has plans to install another PairTree™ EV charger at Playfields Park (2500 Research Park Drive) in fall 2024. Since the stations are transportable, they can be moved to other locations depending on future needs.
All project costs for the installation are fully funded by the City of Davis’ share of the Electrify Yolo grant funding. Electrify Yolo is a regional project with City of Davis acting as the lead agency, and it includes Yolo County, Valley Clean Energy Alliance (VCE) on behalf of City of Winters, and the City of Woodland.
Davis has Memoranda of Understanding with each partner. The project is funded under a 2018 SACOG Green Region grant. The City of Davis’ Electrify Yolo share is approximately $2 million of the total grant. Phase 1 of the project will include planning efforts for EV charging infrastructure, installation of Level 2 and Level 3 (DC Fast) Chargers, purchase of an electric vehicle and these mobile chargers. Progress on Electrify Yolo can be found on the City’s website.
Wallbox Nextgen Supernova DC Fast Charger
Wallbox Chargers, a global leader in electric vehicle charging and energy management solutions, announced the launch of the next generation of their Supernova DC fast charger, Supernova 220. The newest addition to the product family is designed to charge at up to 220 kW, meaning that it can fully charge a passenger EV up to 100 miles in as little as eight minutes.
“Supernova 220 fills the current need for High Power Charging sites, capable of providing 10 to 15 minute charging times for passenger EVs, as well as serving the high power charging demands at private and public sites for fleets, electric trucks, buses and heavy goods vehicles.”
To date the company has sold over 2,000 of their DC fast chargers in over 30 countries around the world. The introduction of the Supernova 220 gives charge point operators a broader range of power options within the Supernova family, to further expand their EV charging network with chargers that have been tried and tested for reliability and uptime. Ultimately the introduction of this new product ensures CPOs can install the most appropriate power model for every site, without needing to compromise on reliability or customer experience.
Thanks to Supernova’s award-winning and compact design, the 220 kW version offers efficiency benefits to both charge-point-operators and customers. While the same size as other Supernova models, it is the most powerful model yet and can charge one EV at up to 220 kW or two EVs simultaneously, at up to 110 kW each. Increasing the power while maintaining the cost of installation, maintenance and space improves the return on investment for charge point operators, especially in high volume locations.
“At Wallbox our aim is to ensure that EV charging is simple and accessible to all drivers, which means offering reliable solutions that meet the needs of a range of locations,” said Till Wilmschen, Director of DC fast charging at Wallbox. “Supernova 220 fills the current need for High Power Charging sites, capable of providing 10 to 15 minute charging times for passenger EVs, as well as serving the high power charging demands at private and public sites for fleets, electric trucks, buses and heavy goods vehicles.”
High power, even smaller footprint ratio; Supernova 220 service both, low and high voltage EVs delivering up to 220 kW of power. It also optimizes space thanks to its high power density.
DC meter law compliant; Due to its metering windows which are prominently displayed below the touchscreen and dc metering options, Supernova 220 is fully compliant with the latest AFIR regulations, without the need for any accessories.
Award winning design; Its sleek but distinctive design which allows for custom branding is perfect for public and visible locations such as car parks, shopping centers and dealerships.