Volvo Group

Milence opens first public charging hub in UK

Milence, the joint venture between Daimler Truck, TRATON GROUP, and Volvo Group, has inaugurated its first public charging hub in the UK, located in Immingham.

This milestone represents a significant step towards decarbonizing heavy-duty transport.

Strategically positioned along the A180 with direct access to the M180, M18, and M1 motorways, the Immingham hub plays a key role in supporting transport and logistics operations linking the UK to Europe.

The Immingham hub is strategically located...

https://container-news.com/milence-first-public-charging-hub-uk/

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

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

Hyzon focuses on US fuel cell market for survival

In its brief four-year history, Hyzon Motors has experienced far more stormy than sunny days. As it struggles to survive, the commercial fuel cell manufacturer is focusing on the U.S., where it sees hydrogen and zero-emission refuse trucks worth pursuing.

Chasing the SPAC money

A spinoff of Singapore-based Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, Hyzon went public in July 2021 in a reverse merger with special purpose acquisition company Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corp. It received $550 million in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hyzon-focuses-on-us-fuel-cell-market-for-survival

Dueling approaches to AI in autonomous trucking

Autonomous trucking pioneer Chris Urmson and relative latecomer Raquel Urtasun see AI as critical to making autonomous trucking successful. But they do not see eye to eye on the best way to apply it.

Urmson led Google’s Self Driving Car Project that eventually became Waymo. He co-founded Aurora Innovation in 2017.

When Uber sold its Advanced Technologies Group to Aurora in January 2021, Urtasun was Uber ATG chief scientist and head of research and development. She and Urmson know each other’s...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dueling-approaches-to-ai-in-autonomous-trucking

‘Picky’ Gatik nearing mass-produced autonomous trucks

The struggles of autonomous truck makers to move beyond the testing stage are well chronicled. Seven-year-old Gatik, which owns the short-haul pickup-and-delivery “middle mile,” is an exception. By all indications, it has the money, the partnerships and the runway to reach mass production in 2027.

After discussing Gatik’s technology progress with Apeksha Kumavat, co-founder and chief engineer, on this week’s Truck Tech podcast, I caught up with CEO Gautam Narang. That followed Monday’s...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/picky-gatik-nearing-mass-produced-autonomous-trucks

Opposition grows to speedy electric truck transition

The Advanced Clean Transportation Expo, a generally upbeat event for battery electric, hydrogen and other emission-friendly technologies, takes place next week in Las Vegas amid a growing and widespread backlash to the regulation-driven transition to electric trucks.

Nearly every stakeholder — from the trucking industry and driver organizations to state attorneys general — is weighing in with dire estimates of crippling costs to a cyclical industry. Ryder System Inc. is the latest, dissecting...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/opposition-grows-to-speedy-electric-truck-transition

Biden’s electric truck effort grilled on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers officially kicked off efforts to mitigate — if not derail — the Biden administration’s latest push to electrify the trucking industry during a hearing on Capitol Hill designed to spotlight challenges to powering up an electric grid capable of meeting the zero-emission timeline unveiled by federal regulators in late March.

The hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s highway subcommittee on Tuesday prefaced a Congressional Review Act joint...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bidens-electric-truck-effort-grilled-on-capitol-hill

CMA CGM partners with automobile giants on electric van venture

CMA CGM Group announced its participation as a founding member of the innovative electric van venture, Flexis SAS, alongside Renault Group and Volvo.

The partnership unveiled on 22 March marks a significant step towards sustainable transportation solutions.

Through its energy investment fund, PULSE, CMA CGM has secured a 10% ownership stake in Flexis SAS. Additionally, the company expresses keen interest in making strategic investments of up to US$130 million by 2026.

Established by Rodolphe Saadé...

https://container-news.com/cma-cgm-partners-with-automobile-giants-on-electric-van-venture/

Will natural gas payback beat EV adoption?

The confluence of a new, bigger engine, net-zero carbon emissions from renewable natural gas (RNG) and pressure from shippers for their carriers to operate sustainably add up to a bright picture for natural gas adoption.

But a new study from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) points to a couple of cautions. First is methane leakage from the source of the RNG. Methane escaping into the atmosphere is a huge contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gas.

Second, and most...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/will-natural-gas-payback-beat-ev-adoption

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