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US behemoth food company Mars is looking to put 300 “heavy-duty” electric trucks into operation in Europe by 2030, in what it is calling the largest electrification of freight trucking in Europe ever.

Running routes to and fro various company locations, this kind of trucking is primed for electrification, and a company the scale of Mars, which owns 50 global brands, transforming its freight into EVs could have a massive impact on emissions.

The deal is a collaboration with Swedish-owned Einride and launched in Germany last week, with routes in the UK and the Netherlands coming this year. “This sets a precedent for other players in the freight industry to follow, showcasing the mass potential of electrification at scale,” said Robert Falck, CEO and founder at Einride.

Technically the company will start hauling pet food from its Pet Nutrition factory in Verden, Germany, to its logistics center in Mindin, about 91 kilometers (about 56.5 miles) one way. Both locations come equipped with charging points, so a truck can easily do the full roundtrip with the option to charge on either side if needed.

To get things started, Einride provided Mars with two Mercedes-Benz eActros 300s and two charging stations with four charging points operated by Einride’s Saga operating system. The version of the electric truck has three battery packs with 105 kWh each, totaling 315 kWh, which should supply enough range to cover about 300 kilometers/186 miles with an average load. Next up is a route from its chocolate factory in Viersen to other sites, as well as routes in the UK and the Netherlands.

For its part, Mars is investing $1 billion over the next three years to help reach its zero-emissions target by 2050, with the target to cut carbon in half by 2030 across its full value chain. It, too, is investing about “a mid-six-figure euro amount in the installation,” Electrive reports.

The first two eActros 300s will soon be joined by more vehicles, although Mars didn’t specify if those will be Daimler Trucks, in that Einride sources its vehicles from several manufacturers. These fully-electric operations will be complemented with an autonomous pilot project, implemented in 2025. 

By switching to the 300 electric trucks, Mars says it will reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year, corresponding to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from Mars Logistik in Europe of around 10% per year.

Electrek’s Take

This type of trucking is primed to make the electric transition. For one, fleet trucks typically have a set route, making mileage easier to plan, and trucks can return to the depot in the evenings for overnight charging using their own infrastructure.

The shift from solely focusing on electrifying smaller trucks for last-mile delivery is moving to this kind of medium-duty hauling, with a new model from Mack Trucks recently out, other players such as Japan’s Hino and Isuzu working on new models.

Of course, the upfront costs for a company to convert to electric trucks is a tough sell, but a company like Mars bankroll it. Soon, the EU (and in California at least), regulations will leave companies with no choice but to make the switch. And doing so has the potential to clean up billions of tons of CO2 emissions a year.


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Puerto Rico just got $1.2B in DOE financing to boost its grid with solar + storage

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Puerto Rico just got .2B in DOE financing to boost its grid with solar + storage

The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.

The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:

  • The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
  • A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
  • A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.

If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.

LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.

LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.

Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.

As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.

When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.

Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Chevy launches sweet new Equinox and Blazer EV deals that can slash prices by $5,000

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Chevy launches sweet new Equinox and Blazer EV deals that can slash prices by ,000

Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.

Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January

Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.

Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.

This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.

On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.

Chevy-Blazer-EV-deals
2024 Chevy Blazer EV RS (Source: GM)

In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.

Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-deals
2024 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.

The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.

If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.

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Podcast: non-Tesla EV Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales, Rivian $$$, and more

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Podcast: non-Tesla EV Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales, Rivian $$$, and more

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, and more.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):

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