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LOS ANGELES — A subsidiary of oil and gasoline big Shell will quickly assist charging for Penske Truck Leasing‘s light-duty electrical autos.
Shell Recharge Solutions will present Stage 2 charging stations to assist Penske’s electrical truck fleet in 5 states by the top of the yr, the companies said final week on the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Lengthy Seashore, Calif. Chargers will likely be added in different markets beginning in 2023, the businesses stated.
“It is more and more essential that we assist fleets make the transition to electrical autos,” stated Andreas Lips, CEO of Shell Recharge Options. “We wish to allow, with our know-how and information, that transition in an environment friendly method with out compromising their operational capabilities.”
Shell stated it might “ship design, set up and charging community assist” by means of a software program platform it developed in addition to upkeep assist.
The corporate stated 33 Penske Truck Leasing places will obtain the charging assist, together with 23 in California. Different places will likely be in Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington state.
“Collaborating with Shell will assist us increase and diversify our electrical car charging community and to assist the light-duty electrical vans we lately launched,” Penske Truck Leasing President Artwork Vallely stated in an announcement.
Shell has invested in low-carbon gas choices lately amid strain for the corporate to cut back emissions. It was ordered by a Dutch court in 2021 to cut back emissions 45 % by 2030.
Shell has introduced partnerships on charging infrastructure with automakers together with Common Motors and BYD, in addition to with Uber in Canada.
Listed here are different takeaways from final week’s expo.
Renewable diesel on rise
As gross sales of electrical heavy-duty vehicles start to rise, manufacturing capability for renewable diesel is growing in parallel.
In response to a report by clean transportation consultancy Gladstein, Neandross & Associates, renewable diesel manufacturing capability rose from 600 million gallons in 2020 to 800 million gallons by mid-2021. Capability is anticipated to develop to five billion gallons per yr by 2025, sufficient to fulfill about 10 % of nationwide diesel demand.
Renewable diesel, made from resources such as vegetable oils and greases, has up to now been used principally by truck fleets in California, which gives monetary credit that make it “extra competitively priced in opposition to diesel,” in line with the report.
Some heavy-duty truckmakers, together with Volvo Trucks, see a necessity for inside combustion engines at the same time as battery-electric and hydrogen gas cell autos turn into extra commonplace. Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Vehicles North America, instructed reporters that Volvo sees inside combustion autos being powered by renewable fuels.
College buses to EV chassis
Longtime college bus producer Blue Fowl Corp. revealed a new electric platform for Class 5 and Class 6 autos comparable to last-mile supply vans and motor properties.
The chassis permits for vary of as much as 175 miles; wheelbase choices of 178 inches, 190 inches and 208 inches; and a gross car weight score of as much as 26,000 kilos, in line with the corporate. It plans to start manufacturing in 2023 at a plant in Georgia.
The transfer comes because the bus maker expands its electrical choices. Blue Fowl says it has bought greater than 500 electrical college buses since 2018.
“Blue Fowl goes to successfully double its whole addressable market,” CEO Matthew Stevenson stated.
Excessive battery costs
Battery cells are prone to stay costly because of excessive commodities prices till new battery chemistries are launched to the market, a panel of executives stated.
Paul Seashore, president of battery techniques provider Octillion Power Systems, stated battery cells are in a “commodity worth market” as a result of the vitality density of cells has remained roughly the identical for the previous couple of years. Previously, battery cell costs would come down as density elevated, however innovation has slowed for present battery chemistries, he stated.
“All of my contracts are primarily based on commodity costs of lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel,” he stated. “As these costs change, my cell prices change.”
AK Srouji, chief know-how officer of battery pack maker Romeo Power, stated firms have two decisions to carry battery prices down: Both wait till commodities costs fall and cell costs comply with, or attempt to innovate in areas outdoors the battery cell itself, such because the battery pack.
The excellent news? “We’re seeing costs come again down slightly bit,” he stated.
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