Cruise into February with a rundown of the latest EV news stories courtesy of Fluid Truck! 

Learn about new electric delivery solutions set to hit the market in 2024 and get clued into an important update on the ongoing development of U.S. charging infrastructure.

Keeping EV batteries strong in cold weather

Cold weather causes all kinds of problems for drivers across the country. From icy roads to snowed-in driveways, winter is a difficult season to navigate safely. Unfortunately, EV drivers may face an extra issue with their vehicle’s battery.

You’ve probably heard that cold weather and electronics don’t mix. Batteries can’t function with as much efficiency in colder temperatures, causing battery-powered vehicles to eat up a lot of extra power as they try to heat the cabin while simultaneously maintaining other operations. So, when temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and EV drivers crank up the heat in their cars, they could lose up to 41% of their battery range.

Experts have recommended a number of solutions to counteract this problem, such as:

• Pre-conditioning the cabin by turning on the heat while the vehicle is still plugged in.
• Keeping EVs in the garage during bouts of cold weather.
• Finding alternative charging stations along your route just in case.

Biden administration announces new funding for charging infrastructure

Earlier this month, the Biden administration unveiled plans to invest more funds in the development of U.S. charging infrastructure. The total amount of funding is $623 million that will be spread out across 22 states and the territory of Puerto Rico. The grants will focus on installing chargers in places that do not yet have access to them, including tribal lands, rural locations, and poorer urban areas. These communities will receive 70% of the 7,500 stations the initiative has set out to build.

This year’s funding is part of President Biden’s long-running goal to lower U.S emissions by encouraging drivers to go electric. Since President Biden’s term began, EV sales have quadrupled, and the administration hopes to have 500,000 working chargers in place by 2030 to support those sales.

USPS shows off electric fleet and charging stations

VAfter much build-up and preparation, USPS has finally showcased its first battery electric delivery fleet at an event in Atlanta. The fleet, complete with charging stations, is a major step in USPS’s plan to make the switch to all-electric delivery. With the largest fleet in the federal government, USPS has a ways to go in its electrification efforts, but the service announced that charging stations are on track to be installed at hundreds of locations across the country throughout 2024.

The fleet consists of Ford E-Transits, off-the-shelf EVs with an impressive carrying capacity. USPS plans to obtain 21,000 more off-the-shelf vehicles for its fleet as well as 45,000 battery-electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles. By 2028, the EV delivery fleet should exceed 66,000 vehicles.

ZEROVA Technologies unveils new heavy duty vehicle chargers

ZEROVA Technologies, a leading provider of EV charging solutions, headed to CES 2024 earlier this month to showcase a new charging system for commercial heavy-duty vehicles. The MegaWatt Charging System (MCS) features the “world’s highest-powered commercial single-stream fast-charging connector,” making it an exciting tool for large fleets that require a lot of charging power.

According to ZEROVA, the MCS will be a highly customizable charging solution that empowers scalability and efficiency by consolidating fleet management features into one integrated platform. This may be a technology to watch for fleets looking to increase their operational efficiency in the new year.

Hyzon delivers four fuel cell electric vehicles to PFG

On January 25, leading food distributor, Performance Food Group (PFG), received four fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) from Hyzon Motors Inc. Hyzon is a global supplier of zero-emission heavy-duty FCEVs and has played a significant role in the ongoing development of fuel cell technology. The collaboration marks one of the first deliveries of heavy-duty FCEVs in the United States so far.

FCEVs are a competitive alternative to battery electric vehicles (BEVs). They may be up to 8,000 pounds lighter than BEVs and could outpace their counterpart in terms of battery life, with a faster charging time (20 minutes compared to 3 hours) and a larger estimated range. 

Depending on how these early deployments play out, FCEVs could be on track to become the go-to replacement for diesel fuel trucks. If this particular trial proves successful, PFG will receive 15 200kW FCEVs from Hyzon with the option to add another 30 vehicles to its fleet in the future

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