With countries and cities dedicating to sustainability, environmental consciousness, and an inherent recognition to make positive social changes, public transit is electrifying.
EV-News.com is exploring one of the leading electric Powertrain companies in North America, that has yet to IPO; Proterra.
FINANCIALS
As of August 2019, Proterra had a valuation of $1.08 Billion. After expanding into airports (San Francisco International Airport) more city public transit, school distrcits, and even national parks, the valuation should be much higher in 2020.
What is a PowerTrain?
Simply put, a PowerTrain is the set of components that generates power and then transmits the power to the wheels of a vehicle. In electric vehicles, the PowerTrain consists of an electric battery, electric motor, a battery charger, AC+DC converter, and the transmission. The electric battery is charged via a EV Charging station or even replaced via the BaaS system.
As for the buses and larger commercial electric vehicles, the PowerTrain is similar to those of the automobile, just have larger batteries and higher voltage charging stations.
ProTerra Powered
Before discussing the e-buses and where to find Proterra Buses, it is important to discuss an industry that ProTerra is currently excelling in; OEM. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, meaning that ProTerra is a direct seller of their electric batteries.
ProTerra recently reached an agreement to sell their batteries to Australian company, BusTech - their first international buyer. The government of New South Wales, in Australia, intents to convert their entire 8,000 bus fleet to electric!
PROTERRA'S VEHICLES:
PUBLIC TRANSIT
With over 120 existing contracts, Proterra's staple vehicle is the public transit bus.
These e-buses are found in cities such as
Dallas, Texas, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA, and New York City, NY.
This push towards e-buses are also appearing in national parks,
with Proterra buses already in use at Yosemite, Zion and Bryce Canyon.
UNIVERSITIES
Commuter and shuttle buses around Universities are also going Electric.
The University of Georgia
Owns the largest fleet of Electric Buses with 20 Proterra buses.
Duke University
Recently debuted their order of 2 Proterra buses in July 2020.
The University of Montana
Was the first university to use 100% Zero Emission Proterra buses.
SCHOOL BUSES
Proterra is making strides in every bus industry, having already partnered with Daimler;s Thomas Built Buses to transform the yellow school bus into a 100% electric vehicle. Labeled as the "Saf-T-Liner", Proterra will continue to expand into the school bus industry.
LAST MILE DELIVERY VEHICLE
Proterra is trying their hand at a new type of vehicle, the last mile delivery.
Proterra has decided to work directly with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. to develop their own last mile vehicle the MT50e. It will use the Proterra Powertrain technology.
RELATED STORIES
Although did not order Proterra's buses, Panama, the country, has decided to buy Chinese owned #BYD ($BYD) buses.
Moscow already has 450 electric buses and are looking to grow to 2,600. Amazing!
In 2019, ProTerra was already called the Tesla of Electric Buses and had a $1 Billion valuation.
Editor in Chief Statement
The Electric PowerTrain in large EVs are making a lot of noise around the Stock Market. Take a look at Hyliion ($SHLL). Currently valued at $47 per share. Once Proterra IPO's EV-News.com intends to invest heavily. The future of the Electric Vehicle industry is not just limited to cars and charging stations, it is also inclusive of the public transit sector, renewable energies, and a dedication to a certain lifestyle.
- Alan Dowden