Volta selects Meritor to supply electric drivetrains

Volta Trucks has selected Meritor to supply drivetrain components for the Volta Zero. This will support the delivery of Volta Zero vehicles for customer trials during 2021, and the start of series production in 2022.

The company says its Volta Zero will be the first fully-electric large commercial vehicle in Europe to use an eAxle to drive the rear wheels. Meritor will supply its Blue Horizion 14Xe, containing the electric motor, transmission and rear axle, which is designed to be lighter and more efficient than a conventional electric motor and axle combination.

EnergyHub partners with Potomac Edison to incentivize off-peak EV charging

EnergyHub, a provider of distributed energy resource (DER) solutions for utilities, is providing incentive management and secure data collection capabilities for Potomac Edison’s EV Driven charging station program.

Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, serves about 270,000 customers in seven Maryland counties. EV Driven is a five-year pilot program that offers Potomac Edison customers rebates for charging station purchases and incentives to charge at off-peak times.

EnergyHub’s platform collects usage data through software integration with customer-owned residential charging equipment—it doesn’t require new EV-specific meters. EnergyHub’s Mercury DERMS allows utilities to monitor and coordinate EV charging, and offers solutions for EV management including monitoring, forecasting and time-of-use (TOU) rate programs.

“We’re excited to work with Potomac Edison on an EV charging program that accommodates customer choice of equipment, provides financial rewards to customers and has the potential to mitigate system peaks,” said Seth Frader-Thompson, President of EnergyHub. “The off-peak charging component of the EV Driven program will help Potomac Edison better manage the impacts of consumer charging behavior, both now and in the future.” 

Ford CEO: US government needs to support domestic battery production

Ford CEO Jim Farley says the US government needs to support domestic battery production and the rollout of public charging infrastructure. “We need to bring large-scale battery production to the US,” Farley said at a recent financial conference, adding that he planned to bring up the issue in upcoming talks with government leaders.

The coming wave of EVs will require massive supplies of batteries, and right now the lion’s share of global battery production belongs to Asian firms such as CATL, LG Chem and Panasonic. European governments are moving to break this stranglehold—the European Commission’s recent announcement of €2.9 billion in funding for battery innovation is just one of several initiatives aimed at increasing battery production on the continent.

Policy support for increased US battery production and better charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles will help drive demand for EVs, Farley said. He also warned of future battery bottlenecks. “We can’t go through what we’re doing now with chips,” he said, referring to the shortage of imported semiconductors that has forced several US automakers to pause production.

Oshkosh partners with Microvast to strengthen electrification capabilities

Oshkosh, a maker of specialty trucks and equipment, has announced an investment in Microvast, a provider of battery technologies for commercial and specialty EVs. 

Oshkosh will make a $25-million private investment in public equity, or PIPE, in Microvast, which announced a merger with Tuscan Holdings on February 1. Oshkosh and Microvast have also entered into a joint development agreement highlighting future battery collaboration and integration.

“Our strategic investment in Microvast is an excellent addition to Oshkosh’s electrification focus and established partnerships,” said Oshkosh CEO John C. Pfeifer.

Cheapest new-car lease is all-electric: Chevy Bolt EV lease deals as low as $107 per month

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EVWith a refreshed 2022 model on the way, lease deals for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV are now as low as $107 per month, but only for Costco members in certain parts of the country. Chevy has launched a new lease deal with the retail chain, according to our partner site CarsDirect, enabling what could be the cheapest new-car lease in the United States…
Source: Hybrid and Electric Car News and Reviews