InCharge Energy - Experts & Thought Leaders

ABB E-mobility, a globally renowned company in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, announces the continued expansion of its global and US manufacturing footprint, with new manufacturing operations in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. The multi-million dollar investment will increase production of electric vehicle chargers, including Buy America Act compliant ones, and create over 100 jobs. The new facility will be capable of producing up to 10,000 chargers per year, ranging from 20kW to 180kW in power, which are ideally suited for public charging, school buses, and fleets. Expansion of US manufacturing operations The need for investment in the US e-mobility sector has never been greater" The operation builds on ABB E-mobility’s existing US manufacturing operations, which produce transit bus chargers that range from 150kW to 450kW. This expansion will increase responsiveness to US market demand, create a more efficient localized supply chain, and reduce delivery lead times. Bob Stojanovic, the Vice President for ABB E-mobility in North America at ABB, said “The need for investment in the US e-mobility sector has never been greater, as 18 million EVs are expected to be on US roads by 2030. Expanding our US manufacturing operations will allow us to better serve our customers and help advance the adoption of EVs from private vehicles to public transportation and fleets.” High-quality and reliable EV charging solutions Bob Stojanovic adds, “Our facility in South Carolina is another example of how we are driving the American e-mobility economy forward with high-quality and reliable EV charging solutions that meet the needs of every part of a sustainable transportation ecosystem.” The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act make transformational investments in transportation electrification including personal vehicles, school buses, transit buses, commercial fleets and the building of a national network of public chargers. The United States of America (USA), along with vehicle OEMs, set the ambitious target that half of all new US vehicle sales are to be electric by 2030. ABB E-mobility adds to its US capabilities With this investment, ABB E-mobility adds to its capabilities to meet the US’s goals of building up the domestic manufacturing base for EV charging. EV chargers produced in South Carolina will meet the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) proposed Buy America Act framework for EV chargers as well as requirements of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. This manufacturing expansion is the latest in a series of significant US focused announcements from ABB E-mobility with continued investments planned for 2024 and beyond. In addition to the South Carolina facility, ABB E-mobility announced in July 2022, the launch of a training center in Sugar Land, Texas and an R&D facility in Southern California, USA. ABB’s global investments In addition, ABB invested in EV charging software provider, ChargeLab In 2022, ABB also acquired a controlling interest in EV commercial charging infrastructure solutions company, InCharge Energy, expanding ABB’s smart and connected EV offering. In addition, ABB invested in EV charging software provider, ChargeLab. Since 2010, ABB has invested US$ 14 billion in the U.S.A., with plant expansions, operational improvements, state-of-the-art equipment, products, and people, making it the company’s largest market. Investing, growing, and serving across the USA With approximately 20,000 employees in more than 40 manufacturing and distribution facilities, ABB is investing, growing, and serving across America through industries that create jobs, encourage innovation, and achieve a more productive, sustainable future. ABB is a renowned global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.

A new electric school bus fleet will be ready to transport Moreno Valley students by fall. The Moreno Valley Unified School District’s project will introduce 42 electric school buses and become the largest electric school bus fleet in California, USA. InCharge Energy, the company that is installing electric vehicle chargers for the district, has stated in a news release. The new buses will serve more than 31,000 students and 42 schools. New electric buses The new electric buses will replace a portion of the district’s current 117 diesel-powered buses The new electric buses will replace a portion of the district’s current 117 diesel-powered buses. Moreno Valley school officials expect the buses to be running by Aug. 1, about a week before school starts Aug. 10. Across US state of California and the Inland Empire, electric buses are outnumbered by their diesel ancestors. Of the approximately 25,000 school buses in the state, about 800 are electric, California Department of Education spokesperson Scott Roark said. Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project reported that there are 52 electric school buses, 46 of them projected to be in operation —  in Riverside County, making its count the fourth highest among California counties. San Bernardino County is not on its list. Some large school systems, including the San Bernardino City Unified School District, don’t have electric buses. Others, such as the Riverside and Corona-Norco unified school districts plan to add them in the future, a spokesperson said. New electric buses quieter and offer a smoother ride In Moreno Valley, the first round of electric buses will transport special-needs students and that is “Another reason that this project is special,” said School District Transportation Director, Jim Burleson. The new electric buses will be quieter and offer a smoother ride. According to the National Education Association, quieter surroundings help students with autism who can be hypersensitive to sensory stimuli. Healthier alternative to diesel school buses In the San Bernardino district, officials have looked into the possibility of electric buses" “This project has been in the works for over two years,” said Jim Burleson, who is excited to give students — especially special-needs youths — and bus drivers - a healthier alternative to diesel school buses. “In the San Bernardino district, officials have looked into the possibility of electric buses,” Spokesperson Maria Garcia said, adding “But the district’s boundaries are so expansive that it’s not a viable option.” Electric buses are environment friendly Electric buses are good for the environment, too. The energy to charge the buses will come from renewable energy since the district went solar two years ago. “You can literally drive the kids with the sun,” said Cameron Funk, the Chief Executive Officer of InCharge Energy, an EV charger manufacturer, said. The city of Moreno Valley has a ‘moderate’ rating on the Air Quality Index, according to theAirNow’s air-quality report. High-powered fast chargers Electric vehicles have ‘significant emissions benefits over conventional vehicles’ “Using high-powered fast chargers — which InCharge Energy officials said can charge a vehicle 80% quicker than a regular charger — the buses can fully charge in three to four hours,” said Cameron Funk. Electric vehicles have ‘significant emissions benefits over conventional vehicles,’ according to the U.S. Department of Energy, because they produce zero tailpipe emissions. Long-term energy cost savings Although electric vehicles typically cost more than gas vehicles, the expense can be offset by energy cost savings, federal tax credits and state incentives, the Department of Energy states on its website. The 42 buses cost the district US$ 5 million, but will save the district US$ 600,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs by switching to the electric buses, Burleson said. The district received US$ 11 million in state and federal grant money to buy the new buses.

Quality Custom Distribution (QCD), a division of Golden State Foods, has partnered with Scale Microgrid Solutions and InCharge Energy to electrify its Southern California fleet based in La Puente. This $20 million electrification project which includes the purchase of 30 zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks, 16 chargers, and a renewable energy microgrid to power the chargers is funded in part by grants and incentives from HVIP, MSRC, and the Last Mile Freight Program (LMFP). This specific QCD fleet serves thousands of iconic restaurant chains in the region, including a global coffeehouse brand. electrification QCD has demonstrated its commitment to electrification with its total order of 45 Volvo VNR Electric trucks. As one of the first distributors to bring the Volvo VNR Electric truck to California, QCD earned the recognition of Heavy Duty Trucking as one of the top 30 Green Fleets leading the way in sustainability in the U.S. For the La Puente site’s transition to an electric fleet, a first-of-its-kind clean energy microgrid will be engineered and installed to power the site’s new EV charging infrastructure as well as its normal business operations. Developed by Scale Microgrid Solutions, the microgrid for QCD’s charging infrastructure will include features such as: A combined 1,200kW of rooftop solar, 250kW of carport solar, 3-megawatt hours (MWh) of battery storage, and 1,500 kilowatts (kW) of backup generation. A modular design approach using pre-engineered components accelerates the project construction and installation process, minimizes interruption to QCD fleet operations, and makes it easy and affordable to scale as more EVs are added to QCD’s fleet. microgrid A microgrid allows QCD to electrify its fleet more quickly and cost-efficiently than a utility upgrade A microgrid allows QCD to electrify its fleet more quickly and cost-efficiently than a utility upgrade, which can take upwards of two years to initiate in Southern California. Additionally, this system enables QCD to reduce its energy costs, guarantees power availability for fleet charging, and minimizes the site’s downtime and environmental footprint in the event of a power outage.  ICE-180 and 180 kW DC Fast Chargers InCharge Energy will engineer, commission, and install the charging infrastructure to power the electric fleet. The current plans include the installation of 16 ICE-180 chargers, and 180 kW DC Fast Chargers that can charge two Volvo VNR Electric trucks simultaneously in about two hours. These chargers also feature an efficient scalable architecture, allowing for an output of 60, 120, or 180 kW of power depending on the site’s evolving needs. QCD, Scale Microgrid Solutions, and InCharge Energy have begun development on the project, with the microgrid being installed in parallel with the EV charging infrastructure. The entire project will be completed in 2023.  sustainability "QCD’s long-term commitment to sustainability and our customers’ success depends upon reliable clean energy infrastructure like the on-site microgrid we’re building at our Los Angeles distribution center,” said Shane Blanchette, Senior Director, Operations, QCD. “As we pursue emissions reduction initiatives, our partnership with Scale Microgrid Solutions and In-Charge Energy will enable QCD to leverage emerging technologies in clean energy to resiliently power our growing battery-electric truck fleet and our logistics operations that currently support more than 7,500 U.S. quick service restaurants.” holistic energy solution The microgrid allows fleets to continue their operations while reducing the risk of fuel supply issues with utility power" “As fleets electrify, the transportation sector is merging into the electricity sector. A holistic energy solution, like the microgrid for QCD, allows fleets to continue their operations while reducing the risk of fuel (electricity) supply issues associated with utility power,” says Tim Hade, Co-Founder, and COO of Scale Microgrid Solutions. "We’re thrilled to offer QCD a system that will not only reduce fuel (electricity) costs, fortify their trucking operations and lower their carbon footprint but will also allow their fleet to transition to zero-emissions cost-effectively over time." fleet electrification “This project is a prime example of how collaboration and expertise across disciplines can accelerate fleet electrification,” said Terry O’Day, COO of InCharge Energy. He adds, "Between QCD’s telematics data, Scale’s flexible design strategy, and our team’s laser focus on reliable infrastructure, we were able to develop a solution that reduces local toxic pollution from diesel particulates, eliminates climate pollution, improves fleet operations, and reduces costs, especially with the support of the grants and incentives we secured from Southern California Associated Governments. We can’t wait to build this truly innovative and industry-leading model of sustainable fleet transportation."