Mullen Automotive has successfully concluded a 60-day commercial EV pilot for Class 1 EV cargo vans with Menzies Aviation and Loop Global at Los Angeles International Airport.
California-based Mullen, which acquired Bollinger Motors in 2022, manufactures a range of EVs at two US assembly plants, including a crossover and Class 1-6 commercial vehicles.
Menzies provides ground support, air cargo and fuel services at some 250 airports in 58 countries.
In the LAX pilot program, two Class 1 electric vans were used for transporting equipment and crews. Loop Global provided EV charging infrastructure and fleet operations software through its EV fleet-as-a-service program. Loop’s cloud-based Charger Management System enabled Menzies to charge the EVs between shifts to keep them powered for daily operations.
Menzies drove the EVs for over 1,500 miles, and reported 100% uptime and zero maintenance issues. The electric vans saved an estimated 66% in fueling costs compared to similar legacy vehicles, and reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 83%.
Based on driver feedback, Menzies has requested some modifications, including increased seating capacity and additional windows for enhanced driver visibility.
“We were confident that our Class 1 vans would provide an ideal use case at LAX,” said Mullen Chief Commercial Officer John Schwegman. “We look forward to expanding their fleet at LAX and other operations.”
“The LAX pilot was very important in quantifying the efficiency, uptime and cost savings that can be achieved with our Class 1 EV vans,” said Mullen CEO and Chairman David Michery. “Successful pilots such as this demonstrate how companies can scale their fleet operations with commercial EV offerings from Mullen.”
Source: Mullen Automotive
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
