We all know Elon Musk and company are used to thinking big. Even so, the recent announcement that a Tesla Semi truck would be unveiled in September caused jaws to drop and heads to shake. In the trucking industry, there was plenty of skepticism, but also a healthy concern for the future. “Commercial vehicle makers… Read more »
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60-foot articulated electric bus hits the streets of Southern California
The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA), which serves half a million residents of northern Los Angeles County, has taken delivery of a BYD 60-foot articulated electric bus. AVTA has ordered thirteen of the 60-foot e-buses, part of its campaign to fully electrify its fleet by 2018. BYD is building the buses at its factory in… Read more »
Nevada: There’s lithium in them thar hills!
Scare stories about a looming lithium shortage are just that. As informed observers keep pointing out, lithium is not a consumable fuel, it’s easily recycled, and batteries don’t really use all that much of it. Be that as it may, there is a scramble going on to secure supplies of the light white stuff, especially… Read more »
Trucking industry skeptical but wary about Tesla semi plans
Long-haul trucks are going to be a tough nut for EVs to crack, but it’s never smart to bet against Tesla. That’s the one-sentence summary of the trucking industry’s reaction to Tesla’s recent announcement that it will unveil an electric semi-truck in September. The challenges involved in electrifying big rigs are huge. The battery for… Read more »
UL certifies WAVE’s 50 kW wireless charging system
Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification (WAVE) makes a wireless charging system that provides in-route charging for transit buses, using a pad embedded directly into the roadway (see the March/April 2016 issue of Charged). Now the company has earned a Field Evaluation Certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for a 50 kW system that it has deployed for… Read more »
London to phase out dirtiest diesel buses, unveils hydrogen bus
London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently presided at the unveiling of a hydrogen-powered double-decker bus, as he committed to phasing out the procurement of diesel buses. No more pure diesel (non-hybrid) double-decker buses will be added to the capital’s fleet from 2018, and all new single-deckers for central London will be zero-emission. London already has 79… Read more »
China logs record EV sales, Tesla top foreign brand
Plug-in sales in China are going wild – annual sales for 2016 are expected to exceed 350,000. The country now has the largest plug-in fleet in the world: over 650,000 vehicles, surpassing Europe (630,000) and the US (560,000). Upcoming changes to government incentive programs contributed to a sales surge for small EVs in November. The… Read more »
Navigant Research: New report assesses the various types of electric powertrains for buses
Bus systems around the world are electrifying, driven by environmental regulations and cost savings. But decision-makers at transport authorities have several electrification options – hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, fuel cell – each with its own set of benefits and limitations. In a new report, “Medium and Heavy Duty Buses with Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, Battery… Read more »
Uber deploys 50 EVs in London
Uber continues its experiments with EVs (the company began a pilot using BYD E6s last year in Chicago, and has also runs trials of EVs in South Africa and Portugal). The company’s latest electrical adventure is taking place in London, where Uber will offer its drivers the option to lease BYD and Nissan EVs. A… Read more »
The inevitability of electric buses
Electric transit buses enter the fast-follower market stage as the leaders work to remove the last barriers to adoption. Q&A with Proterra’s Ryan Popple and ABB’s Daan Nap on the state of the market and charging standards in North America and Europe. With each passing year, more decision makers are realizing that city buses are an… Read more »