Truck driver Lucson Francois was forced to hit the brakes just five minutes from his home in Pennsylvania. He’d reached the maximum number of hours in a day he’s allowed to be on duty. Francois couldn’t leave the truck unattended. So he parked and climbed into the sleeper berth in the back of the cab. Ten hours would have to pass before he could start driving again under current drive…
Read MoreBosch to Supply Nikola Electric Powertrains
Nikola Motor Co. and parts supply company Bosch will jointly develop powertrain systems for the Nikola One and Nikola Two, hydrogen-electric Class 8 semi-trucks scheduled to reach the market by 2021, the companies announced Tuesday. Separately, Nikola confirmed that the trucking startup completed a $110 million funding round in late June to bring its total to $900 million. Under the powertrain agreement, Bosch will supply Nikola with its eAxle technology that houses…
Read MoreAutomated Commercial Vehicle Webcast April 24
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will hold a public listening session to collect comments and information on autonomous truck technology, or what it calls “highly automated commercial vehicles,” at the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Workshop in Atlanta on April 24th. They hope to solicit information on issues relating to the design, development, testing, and deployment of HACVs. FCMSA will webcast the entire session to allow for increased viewing and participation for…
Read MoreElectric Buses Now Cheaper than Diesel/CNG
Transit vehicles today are mostly powered by gasoline, diesel, and CNG, while electric batteries only represent about 1% of the market. It is currently a small part of the industry, but it’s also the fastest growing fuel source in the sector and it’s starting to become highly competitive and cheaper. Electric bus maker Proterra is ramping up production and currently claims to be cheaper than diesel and CNG. It leads CEO…
Read MoreBYD Supplies 20 Electric Buses to UC Irvine
BYD California’s truck and bus facility isn’t much to look at – an elderly concrete tilt-up in a mostly still unbuilt industrial center in Lancaster, a high-desert community about 70 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. But things are changing for the electric vehicle maker, a unit of China’s giant BYD Co. BYD has started a factory expansion on a 200,000-square-foot lot in front of the former recreational vehicle assembly…
Read MoreGillig Low Floor Transit Bus Brake Recall
Gillig LLC (Gillig) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Gillig 29-foot Low Floor transit buses manufactured November 20, 2014, to February 11, 2016. These buses, equipped with disc brakes, have rear brake hoses that can rub chassis components and fray. CONSEQUENCE: A frayed hose may leak air, causing the rear brake(s) to lock up unexpectedly, or fail to operate when the brakes are applied. Either scenario increases the risk of…
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