University of Virginia’s New EV Order
The University of Virginia has placed a new order for the Mullen ONE, a Class 1 EV cargo van, to enhance its fleet of commercial vehicles. This follows a previous order from 2023 and reflects UVA’s commitment to sustainability, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030. With 13% of its Facilities Management vehicles already battery-powered.
UVA is actively working to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and fossil fuel independence by 2050, as well as reduce nitrogen losses by 30% by 2030. The electric vehicles are supported by 24 charging stations. Electric vehicle usage within Facilities Management has surged by 275% from 2020 to 2023, accounting for approximately 9% of total annual miles driven.
Eco Auto’s Expansion
Eco Auto, a Boston-area dealer specializing in electric vehicles, is set to expand its operations to cover additional states, including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Vermont. The expansion includes an order for 180 Mullen vehicles valued at $7.7 million.
Mullen announced the addition of Eco Auto as its fifth dealer partner in June 2024, focused on the New England area which will now expand to include Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire Maine and Vermont as the Company solidifies its commercial EV footprint across the United States. Mullen’s commercial EV lineup includes the Mullen ONE, a Class 1 EV cargo van, and the Mullen THREE, a Class 3 EV cab chassis truck, purpose-built to meet the demands of urban last-mile delivery. Both vehicles are available for sale and in full compliance with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) certifications denoting strict adherence to clean air emissions standards.
The Mullen THREE was recently qualified for a $15,000 incentive through the State of Massachusetts MOR-EV program and a $45,000 cash rebate voucher through the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program (HVIP). The Mullen ONE is also eligible for a $3,500 MOR-EV incentive in Massachusetts.
John Taylor’s New Role at Mullen
John Taylor has been promoted to president of Mullen’s Commercial EV division while continuing his role as senior vice president of global manufacturing. Taylor, who joined Mullen in 2021, has been instrumental in the launch of key models like the Mullen ONE and THREE. His new role will focus on overseeing the commercial vehicle operations, leveraging his extensive experience in automotive manufacturing to drive growth and innovation in Mullen’s commercial EV segment.
Taylor brings a great breadth of experience with a career spanning over 35 years. He oversaw several plant start-ups and over 12 vehicle launches in the U.S. and internationally. In 1987, Taylor graduated from the Philpot School of Automotive Design in Detroit and began his automotive career with General Motors. At GM, he was involved with 11 major automotive vehicle launches while serving as launch manager, operations manager, and machine and equipment manager, among other roles. In 2010, John joined Tesla and was one of the first 50 employees, leading the advanced manufacturing engineering group. Taylor played a critical role in opening Tesla’s Fremont facility and manufacturing operations for the Tesla Model S and architecture for future EV projects.