Video: Bobcat introduces new electric skid steer loader

From job sites to farms to mines, off-road vehicles are steadily electrifying.

Bobcat, an American manufacturer of compact farm and construction equipment, has introduced what it calls the world’s first all-electric skid steer loader, a follow-up to the electric track loader Bobcat introduced two years ago (a skid steer, as opposed to a tracked vehicle, has 4 wheels, which can rotate in opposite directions to steer the machine).

Electric drive eliminates the need for hydraulics (a major source of maintenance issues), and of course also delivers quieter and smoother operation (a boon for operators). Run time is up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Joel from Bobcat points out another big advantage of EVs: there’s no idle time. “Run time” means when the motor is running, and that happens only when the loader is actually performing work, so 8 hours run time could be more than enough to get through an 8-hour work day.

Between tasks, the operator sits peacefully in vibration-free silence. Fleets that have deployed EVs are finding that drivers love them—an important consideration in today’s tight job market.

Source: Bobcat

Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine

LG Energy Solution and Impact Clean Power sign supply agreement for NCM battery modules

Battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution and Impact Clean Power Technology (ICPT), a public transportation battery system supplier, have signed a supply agreement for nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) lithium-ion battery modules.

Under the three-year battery supply agreement, LG Energy Solution will supply approximately 200,000 battery modules from its Wroclaw plant in Poland to ICPT’s GigafactoryX in Pruszkow for assembly into battery packs and systems. The supplied batteries will support the production of nearly 3,000 large commercial EVs. 

LG Energy Solution will use NCM chemistry to provide enhanced battery durability and range. By manufacturing batteries and electric buses in Poland, this deal aims to create a complete supply chain for Europe’s electric public transportation system.

“Our partnership with ICPT presents us an opportunity to introduce our battery technology to the fast-growing European commercial vehicle market,” said Seungtaek Hong, Head of Advanced Automotive Battery Marketing at LG Energy Solution. “Capitalizing on our Wroclaw plant, we are committed to establishing a robust supply chain in Europe and expediting its transition to sustainable mobility.”

Source: LG Energy Solution

Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine

Forum Mobility plans new charging depot for electric drayage trucks at Port of Long Beach

Forum Mobility, a California-based freight electrification infrastructure provider, plans to build a heavy-duty truck charging depot adjacent to drayage carrier terminals at the Port of Long Beach. Supportive funding for the project will be provided by Honolulu-based nonprofit clean technology investor Elemental Excelerator.

The fully staffed charging depot will offer 19 dual-port 360 kW chargers and six 360 kW single-port chargers, and will be able to charge 44 trucks simultaneously. It is projected to serve more than 200 trucks a day and is scheduled to be operational by the fall of 2024.

Forum Mobility’s first eight charging depots, which together represent the capacity to simultaneously charge about 600 trucks, are expected to commence operations over the next 10 to 20 months.

“The California Energy Commission estimates that to comply with the Advanced Clean Fleet and other regulations, California will need 157,000 medium- and heavy-duty chargers by 2030,” the company said.

Source: Forum Mobility

Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine

Solaris Bus & Coach sells 12 electric units to Warsaw Public Transport Authority

Polish bus manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach will deliver 12 of its articulated Urbino 18 electric buses to the Warsaw Public Transport Authority during 2024 and 2025. The new buses will expand Warsaw’s existing fleet of 150 Solaris electric buses, one of the largest in Europe. They will be operated by Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe, a company that provides public bus transport in the Polish capital.

The buses will be charged using depot plug-in chargers in addition to pantographs. Each is equipped with 39 seats, 13 of which are accessible to passengers with reduced mobility, as well as two wheelchair and stroller-friendly bays, air conditioning, Braille lettering and USB ports.

The buses will be delivered in four batches in 2024-2025. The first models will arrive in the autumn of 2024 and will be deployed on routes that pass through the city center.

“Over 2,000 battery-powered buses from the brand are currently serving passengers in 21 European countries, with another thousand in production and soon to be delivered to customers,” the company stated.

Source: Solaris

Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine

Toyota’s new PROACE MAC commercial van will offer an electric variant in Europe

Toyota has announced the specifications of a new commercial van it will launch in Europe in 2024.

The PROACE MAX van will come in six sizes with two wheelbase options, three lengths and three heights. These combinations offer cargo area volumes from 10 m³ to 17 m³, which can hold up to five Euro pallets.

The new van will be offered with a choice of a diesel or electric powertrain. The electric version features a 200 kW motor that delivers 410 Nm of torque, and a 110 kWh battery pack that will deliver an estimated 420 km range (WTLP). Charging takes place at 11 kW AC or 150 kW DC. Eco, Normal and Power modes let drivers adjust acceleration and top speed to balance performance and driving range.

The PROACE will be offered in a platform cab format, with a flat rear deck, and a chassis cab format, with an exposed ladder frame, as well as a body-on-frame format which allows customers to create bespoke solutions.

Source: Toyota Europe

Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine