Originally designed with autonomous vehicles in mind, Rocsys’s robotic charging arm has attracted interest from fleet operators. Netherlands-based Rocsys makes robotic devices that allow EVs to be charged without human intervention (see the feature in our January/February 2020 issue). When we hear about robotic charging, the application that typically springs to mind is charging autonomous… Read more »
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Toyota actively lobbies against support for EVs
Toyota has earned a place in the history of transport electrification. The Japanese automaker’s introduction of the Prius hybrid in 1997 was a milestone. Since then, the company has sold some 15 million hybrids worldwide, and has gradually added hybrid powertrains to more of its offerings—a majority of Toyota and Lexus models are now available… Read more »
Mercedes-Benz launches electric bus chassis for Brazilian market
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a new electric bus chassis developed for the Brazilian market. The eO500U chassis will be launched in 2022 for Brazil and Latin America, and will also be commercialized in Europe and Oceania. The new chassis was developed by Mercedes’s Brazilian engineering team, and has been extensively tested in Germany. It is a… Read more »
Heavy-duty electric trucks start to appear in fleets
Charged has been reporting on electric trucks for a decade, but the electrification of real-world fleets has been frustratingly slow, and several would-be e-truck builders have gone bust waiting for fleet operators to conduct years-long pilots. Now we’re finally starting to see some large orders. Will 2021 be the year of the electric truck? A… Read more »
Bluebus electric minibus, with solid-state LMP batteries, operating in France
The French city of Triel-sur-Seine has launched a trial of an electric shuttle service that uses a six-meter electric bus made by Bluebus, a subsidiary of the Bolloré Group. The minibuses, which will be delivered this summer, are part of an order for up to 800 e-buses from three manufacturers by Île-de-France Mobilités, an agency… Read more »
Proterra beefs up its battery expertise: Q&A with CTO Dustin Grace
Since its founding in 2004, Proterra has grown to become North America’s largest supplier of electric buses. The company has sold some 950 buses to transit agencies, airports, universities, national parks and private companies in 43 states and provinces. Under its Proterra Powered program, the company provides powertrains to other vehicle makers—school buses for Thomas… Read more »
Task force to develop Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty EVs
In September, an international task force including representatives of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) hosted a meeting of “leading OEMs, utilities, equipment manufacturers and suppliers” to test prototypes for a new charging system for heavy-duty vehicles: the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The task force says the test, which… Read more »
Mercedes eCitaro G electric bus to be available with solid-state batteries
Scientists around the world are hard at work on solid-state batteries, which could offer significant technical and safety advantages over current lithium-ion designs. However, while micro-solid-state batteries are already in commercial use in some applications, most experts believe that large-scale automotive solid-state batteries are still years away from commercialization. Apparently, Mercedes didn’t get the memo,… Read more »
In-Charge Energy is preparing for the coming tsunami of commercial electric trucks
Widespread adoption of electric commercial vehicles has seemed to be just around the corner for several years now. This has been a puzzling and frustrating situation for EV advocates (and even more so for electric truck builders), because the economic case for electrification is strong. Several industry experts have told Charged that the slow progress… Read more »
California proposes to enact zero-emission mandate for commercial vehicles
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released the final draft of the Advanced Clean Trucks standard. The latest proposal, which is stronger than previous drafts, is the first in the nation that would create a zero-emission mandate for trucks. The proposed rule would require automakers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission trucks each… Read more »