Hyzon becomes latest SPAC-backed startup to crash

Even with a stream of positive news releases, the signs and warnings for Hyzon were there. Now reality has arrived: Fuel cell developer Hyzon Motors is the latest startup to give up after going public during the SPAC craze of 2020-2021.

Hyzon fought through numerous obstacles, including a $25 million fine from the Securities and Exchange Commission related to fabricating orders for hydrogen-powered commercial trucks in China.

The spinoff of Singapore’s Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies chased the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hyzon-becomes-latest-spac-backed-startup-to-crash

Proterra’s surviving businesses may shed bankruptcy stigma  

The stigma of going through bankruptcy is real, whether personal or corporate. But sometimes, it turns out OK. Consider Proterra Inc., a maker of electric transit buses, battery packs and a developer of charging infrastructure.

Several startups in the electrification space ran out of financial runway. They either disappeared or were absorbed by other companies. Proterra’s electric transit bus business tasted early success after launching in 2004. Investors like automaker General Motors’ venture...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/proterras-surviving-businesses-may-shed-bankruptcy-stigma

Of floor mops, M&M coatings … and battery packs 

What do coatings for M&M chocolate candies, O-Cedar floor mops and battery packs for electric trucks have in common?

All three come from German industrial conglomerate Freudenberg Group. The company operates many other seemingly incongruous businesses from filtration to home cleaning products.

A history of handoffs

Freudenberg’s battery business is an appropriate Truck Tech topic. But not as tasty than M&Ms, for which it makes the hard shell coatings through its Capol business unit. 

The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/of-floor-mops-mm-coatings-and-battery-packs

How a moonshot is giving voice to truck parcels

Smart labels are one of those buzzy technology terms that have a lot of meanings. The ones logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel are rolling out with Chorus — one of Alphabet’s X moonshot factory entities — address questions some might not even think to ask.

More than RFID

It’s one thing to know through a radio frequency ID tag – wireless communication incorporating electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling – where a particular parcel is located and maybe even some details about its condition. But Swiss...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-a-moonshot-is-giving-voice-to-truck-parcels

Behind Climate United’s historic $250M electric truck buy

Climate United’s plan to spend $250 million to purchase 500 Class 8 electric trucks makes a great headline. But beyond the benefit to owner-operators and small fleets, the impact involves the future of zero-tailpipe-emission freight hauling.

More than cleaning up the ports

Climate United is stewarding a $6.97 billion grant of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency. The immediate goal is to help clean up the nation’s ports, where older and dirtier trucks...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/behind-climate-uniteds-historic-250m-electric-truck-buy

Sustainability leaders key to more sustainable transportation

In the quest for sustainability, the transportation sector stands as one of the most significant arenas for change. With greenhouse gas emissions soaring, the need for sustainable transportation solutions has never been greater. Enter sustainability leaders — pivotal figures steering the industry toward a future where battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles become the norm, not the exception.

Understanding the transportation emissions conundrum

The commercial transportation sector is a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/sustainability-leaders-key-to-more-sustainable-transportation

DHL getting 2 Nikola hydrogen trucks, and they aren’t in California

Truck companies and shippers regularly announce the addition of new zero emission vehicles to their fleets, most of them battery-powered. And there are announcements of hydrogen-powered trucks as well, though that has almost exclusively been in California, which has a combination of coming mandates and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which allows the owners of those hydrogen vehicles to earn LCFS credits that can be sold into an active market for those assets.

With all that in mind, it was notable...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dhl-getting-2-nikola-hydrogen-trucks-and-they-arent-in-california

It’s all in the numbers for Nikola

Three numbers tell the desperate state of fuel cell truck maker and hydrogen fuel provider Nikola. Dozens of others apply, but these three suggest the clock is ticking faster on whether the company can survive.

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By the numbers …

Nikola’s notable numbers: 135, 29.07% and 88.

135

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/its-all-in-the-numbers-for-nikola

How zero-emissions trucks are the key for sustainable supply chains

The conversation around sustainability in the transportation sector is no longer just about reducing emissions — it’s about rethinking the way we transport goods altogether. Across the industry, from manufacturers to fleet operators, there’s growing recognition that a cleaner, more sustainable future requires bold changes. Zero-emission trucks, powered by hydrogen fuel cells and battery-electric technology, are playing a pivotal role in this transformation. 

The U.S. is one of the largest carbon...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-zero-emissions-trucks-are-the-key-for-sustainable-supply-chains