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RIZON Electric Trucks Begin Rolling Out to Customers in California

The first RIZON Class 4-5 battery electric cabover trucks, engineered by Daimler Truck Group, are now being delivered to customers throughout California. RIZON trucks, exclusively distributed in the U.S. by Velocity EV, are set to enhance urban delivery applications by driving both economic and environmental sustainability. The first fleet deliveries have already commenced and are slated to continue in spring 2024.

RIZON trucks can be customized with several different load body options for local goods movement, urban deliveries and refrigerated deliveries. Equipped with an electric power take-off (ePTO) controllable from the cab, these trucks offer added versatility for specialized equipment such as reefer belt drives and hydraulic pumps.  

The initial deployment of RIZON trucks in California includes a diverse range of customers embracing sustainable transportation solutions: 

  • LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN). As the lead agency for the city’s environmental programs and initiatives, LASAN is deploying seven e18L RIZON trucks with stake bed bodies to facilitate the delivery of home trash bins to Los Angeles residents. 
  • Goodwill Industries of San Diego County. Supporting its Southern California donation centers and thrift stores, Goodwill is integrating an e18L RIZON dry van box truck into its fleet to bolster logistics efficiency. 
  • Diamond Environmental. A Southern California-based equipment rental and onsite services company, Diamond Environmental is deploying four e18L RIZON trucks to deliver and service portable restrooms, enhancing efficiency and reducing emissions in the communities it serves. 
  • Ecorecycling. To transport thousands of pounds of clothing and book donations from the local community to its sorting warehouse, Ecorecycling is deploying three e18L RIZON dry van trucks onto its Northern California routes. 
  • Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing. To provide California businesses with accessible zero-emission commercial vehicle solutions, Velocity has five e18L RIZON box trucks available for immediate rental or lease.  

“The shift to electrification is typically a large undertaking for fleets, but our customers are pleased the RIZON trucks can use inexpensive charging hardware and are finding the trucks are easy to operate,” says Alex Voets, general manager of Velocity EV. “It’s great to see fleets deploying their first RIZON trucks.” 

RIZON trucks offer a range of benefits tailored to urban delivery applications, including competitive pricing, telematics, flexible financing from Daimler Truck Financial Services, and a warranty of five years/75,000 miles for the powertrain, chassis and cab, and five years/120,000 miles for the batteries.

With a range of up to 160 miles on a single charge, RIZON trucks can be charged by both Level 2 AC charging and DC fast charging.  Medium (M) and Long (L) range battery configurations allow fleet operators to choose the best price-to-range option for their typical routes. The vehicles are equipped with Daimler’s advanced active safety system and four-stage regenerative braking, enabling drivers to easily adjust it for energy conservation to extend the brake life and driving range. 

RIZON trucks purchased in California qualify for a base voucher of $60,000 per vehicle through the California Air Resource Board (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), further incentivizing the transition to sustainable transportation solutions. To participate in the HVIP voucher program, fleet operators must work with an HVIP-approved dealer, which submits the voucher request on the fleet’s behalf for the RIZON truck. RIZON is available from California Truck Centers and Velocity Truck Centers, which are both HVIP-approved dealers.

The CARB certification designates all four RIZON models — e16M, e16L, e18M and e18L — as compliant under the Advanced Clean Fleets rule mandating that 50% of overall state, local and municipal vehicle purchases be zero-emissions as of January 1, 2024. 

Nopetro Renewables Breaks Ground on RNG Facility in Southern Florida

Nopetro Renewables, a developer and operator of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects across North America, has broken ground on Southern Florida’s first landfill-gas-to-RNG facility in Indian River County.

Once operational, the $40 million facility in Vero Beach, named Vero Beach Nopetro Eco District, initially will produce an estimated 3 million gallons of RNG a year and prevent 30,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. That is equivalent to eliminating emissions from 4,300 passenger cars. This project, expected to be completed in early 2025, is the largest investment in Indian River County in the past three years, adding more than 40 local jobs through construction and operation.

“This facility marks a significant milestone for Nopetro and monumental step toward unlocking sustainable opportunities in Florida — and across North America — as we transform waste into a valuable energy resource,” says Jorge Herrera, CEO of Nopetro Energy.

“There’s no better time than the present to introduce creative, turnkey and smarter energy solutions to the Sunshine State as we strive for a bright future for our children and future generations,” adds Herrera. “Congratulations to Indian River County on this achievement and for taking proactive steps to address our shared environmental concerns.”

The new facility will receive landfill gas, which is generated from organic waste decay within the landfill, and refine it into RNG, a fully interchangeable biogas and the lowest-carbon alternative fuel. After a purification process, the RNG will be pipeline ready, creating cleaner fuel for buses and trucks, and cleaner air for the surrounding community.

The plant could provide as much as 80% of the natural gas used in Indian River County annually, offsetting fossil based natural gas demand within the local community.

Nopetro Renewables partnered with Mead & Hunt, an architectural, engineering, planning and construction services firm, to design and construct the facility.

“Through the execution of approximately 75 landfill gas-to-beneficial reuse projects across more than 25 states, Mead & Hunt’s team has a proven engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) approach to renewable energy project delivery,” says Doug Tholo, energy project developer at Mead & Hunt. “Bringing our experience as industry leaders in landfill gas-to-energy projects, and with several Florida offices, we are making a positive impact on the local environment by reducing greenhouse gases. As with all of our projects, safety is our priority.”

Besides its renewable production arm, Nopetro operates 15 renewable gas fueling facilities across Florida with plans for expansion. The RNG is converted into compressed natural gas (CNG) and is used to fuel transit and fleet operations; for example, Nopetro currently fuels the entire transit system in Central Florida via a partnership with the Central Florida Transit Authority. One hundred percent of Nopetro’s natural gas feedstock is produced via renewable sources, including landfills and wastewater treatment plants.

Hannibal, Mo.: Frigid Winters No Match for Propane Autogas

In 2020, Hannibal Public Schools in Missouri began researching clean alternative fuels to replace its diesel models that it knew could not meet upcoming emissions standards without costly and complex after treatments.

Cold-weather performance was top of mind for the district because Hannibal averages about three months of below-freezing temperatures annually.

“CNG was an intriguing fuel, but complicated and expensive,” says Scott Speer, transportation director for the district. “And when we crunched the numbers for electric buses, we couldn’t justify the costs. The technology for electric buses hasn’t been around long enough to have case studies for us to learn from.”

Ultimately, district representatives determined that propane-fueled buses would be the best fit, and Hannibal Public Schools received its first round of vehicles in August 2022. 

With two winters under its belt, the district is impressed with how well the propane buses perform in freezing temperatures and on hilly terrain.

“We had an unusually cold winter this year, and the cold weather performance of the buses was excellent,” says Speer.

School buses that run on propane autogas provide unaided cold-weather starts to -40°F and don’t require additional components the way that diesel buses do. Additionally, propane buses can run their planned routes in cold weather with no accommodations due to low temperatures. That contrasts with a recent study from the Environmental Protection Agency that found that electric school buses lose about 33% of range when temperatures hit 30°F.

Steve Ahrens

Another big driver for the decision to go with propane was years of data showing the strong financial viability of the buses. Speer found that buses fueled by propane have the lowest total cost of ownership of any fuel – alternative or otherwise.

To help offset up-front and infrastructure costs, district leadership accessed funds from state and federal incentive programs. In addition to funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus program, the district received $20,000 from the Missouri Propane Education & Research Council and $10,000 in infrastructure support from its propane supplier, Big River Oil.

Through a two-year contract with Big River Oil, the district is saving 44% in per-gallon fuel costs. The school district is also eligible for the alternative fuel excise credit and alternative fuel infrastructure tax credit.

“Every dollar saved in fuel reallocates to general funds that have gone to raises, particularly to school bus drivers,” says Speer. “We were able to offer a 17 percent pay increase to our drivers, increase the number of transportation staff and invest more funds into our students.”

Hannibal Public Schools’ success with propane school buses has led the district to make the decision to transition to a fleet that runs 100% on propane autogas.

Steve Ahrens has served as the president of the Missouri Education & Research Council for more than 20 years, directing propane outreach, safety training, energy efficiencies and change management. He has worked with many school districts in the state to develop funding programs that support advanced clean transportation buses that help districts reduce costs and emissions. Ahrens previously served with Missouri’s Office of the Secretary of State.

The Missouri Propane Education & Research Council is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the Missouri Legislature. Dedicated to propane education and public awareness, MOPERC provides industry training, consumer safety, appliance rebates and market development programs.

Greenlane’s First EV Charging Corridor Takes Shape in US Southwest

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Greenlane is moving forward with its first commercial electric vehicle charging corridor that will have more than 100 chargers, modern amenities designed to increase driver comfort, resilience for high uptime and ultimately will move freight more efficiently. Greenlane is a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America LLC, NextEra Energy Resources LLC and BlackRock (through a fund managed by its Climate Infrastructure business).

The new charging corridor along Interstate 15 aims to accelerate the rollout of carbon-neutral freight transportation with initial charging locations in Colton, Barstow and Baker, California. Over the next year, further locations will be added along the corridor, extending beyond southern Nevada and to San Pedro in California.

“After considering various factors, such as truck telematics data, frequent freight routes and customer deployment strategy, the Greenlane team selected these three optimal locations for our first commercial charging corridor to accelerate the transition to zero emissions,” says Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane. “The launch of this corridor not only marks a critical step in addressing the urgent need for publicly available, nationwide electric charging for commercial vehicles, but will also serve as a model for the EV charging hubs of the future.”

The Colton site is planned to have over 60 chargers, including 400-kW Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC) to speed charging of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). More 200-kW DCFC charging options onsite will enable long-duration and overnight charging for heavy-duty tractors, medium-duty ZEVs and school buses. Greenlane will also deploy multiple passenger car charging stalls to support light-duty and passenger vehicles.

Later project phases will support both long-duration and overnight charging lanes for tractor-trailer combinations. The Greenlane site in Colton will also be future-proofed to accommodate the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) when commercially available.

“By using a predictive modeling tool to simulate truck traffic and energy flow at the site, we can determine how many chargers are necessary to meet the regional demand based on vehicle characteristics and departure and arrival times for vehicles hauling freight along this corridor,” adds Macdonald-King. “Our findings indicated that placing the three stations approximately 60 to 90 miles apart would maximize uptime for day-cab drivers by enabling shorter charging sessions at each stop and ultimately allowing customers to move freight confidently without any limitations.”

Each Greenlane site will have wide pull-through lanes, allowing drivers to enter and exit the property quickly and easily. While waiting for vehicles to charge, drivers can access modern facilities, with amenities including restrooms and food and beverage options.

Greenlane aims to develop a nationwide network of commercial charging infrastructure locations across the U.S. The charging sites will also serve battery electric passenger car and light-duty fleet customers and are designed to provide hydrogen refueling for commercial vehicles in the coming years.

Greenlane is targeting a spring groundbreaking on the Colton flagship site, aiming to open in late 2024. Located at the intersection of Interstates 10 and 215, the Colton hub will offer multiple ways for heavy-, medium- and light-duty ZEV drivers to charge their vehicles.

Nuvve Launches Website, Releases Infographic Detailing V2G Hub Projects

Nuvve Holding Corp., a global technology provider accelerating the electrification of transportation through its vehicle-to-grid (V2G) platform, has launched a dedicated website, www.NuvveV2GHubs.com, as a centralized landing page for information, resources and updates on its V2G Hub projects.

The company also released an infographic outlining the ways Nuvve is turning electric vehicles into flexible storage through this first-of-its-kind offering.

Nuvve’s V2G technology bridges the gap between energy and transportation, while simultaneously regulating energy on the grid. The company’s V2G Hubs feature leading V2G EV charging technology that precisely manages the charging and discharging of parked EV batteries while also prioritizing vehicle and driver considerations including battery health and charge needs for driving duties.

The firm is partnering with local governments, fleet managers and utilities to implement projects that reduce electric fleet costs, improve grid resiliency, better integrate renewable energy sources and ultimately speed up America’s transition to decarbonized transportation.

“We see our V2G Hub offering as a key tenet of our future growth prospects, as these large-scale projects allow us to bring the best of our capabilities and services into one centralized offering that opens the door to significant, steady recurring revenues for years or even decades to come,” says Gregory Poilasne, CEO of Nuvve.

“In the first quarter of 2024, Nuvve has already achieved two key V2G Hub new business wins that represent significant future upside potential for our business,” adds Poilasne. “As this offering continues to gain momentum, we are pleased to launch a landing page of resources for customers and other stakeholders interested in learning more about how Nuvve partners with communities looking to electrify in an intelligent way.”

Cummins X15N Natural Gas Engine Will Power Peterbilt Models 579, 567, 520

Peterbilt is providing the new Cummins X15N natural gas engine on the Models 579, 567 and 520 with orders scheduled for production in the third quarter of 2024. The X15N is optimized for weight, space and durability, making it ideal for short-haul, long-haul, refuse and construction customers requiring a larger-displacement engine that also significantly reduces emissions.

“The new X15N natural gas engine provides another environmentally friendly solution for Peterbilt customers committed to sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint,” says Jake Montero, Peterbilt assistant general manager, sales and marketing.

The X15N is available with ratings up to 500 HP and 1,850 lb.-ft of torque and offers up to 10% fuel economy compared with the ISX12N. It also offers improved low-speed drivability and extended service intervals for reduced maintenance costs. The X15N is designed to meet the stringent 2024 and 2027 EPA and CARB regulations. 

Customers can place orders for the Cummins Xl5N natural gas engine option through any of Peterbilt’s 425-plus dealer locations in North America. Locate the nearest Peterbilt dealership at https://www.peterbilt.com/find-a-dealer.