ZM Trucks announces new electric truck factory in California
Calling itself “America’s newest zero-emission commercial truck brand,” ZM Trucks has announced a new, 210,000 square foot facility in Fontana, California that will also serve as the company’s new global headquarters.
Designed by Asian OEM ZO Motors, the ZM brand of all electric commercial trucks is arguably most notable for being the home of ex-Tesla and Fisker exec and DeLorean CEO Joost de Vries, whose personal tagline, “the future was never promised,” has inspired more than a few electrification evangelists in recent years.
For his part, Mr. de Vries seems to be having some success with the fledgling EV truck brand, having scored a 900-unit initial order from 32Group at last year’s ACT Expo in May.
“Our new Fontana facility reflects ZO Motors’ commitment to the U.S. market and sustainable innovation,” offered de Vries. “This expansion allows us to deliver zero-emission solutions that lower total cost of ownership and drive long-term value for our customers.”
The majority of those 900 units are expected to be built at the new, 210,000 square foot Fontana facility, with production slated to begin in the first half of this year. Once the facility is fully built out, ZM Trucks claims the plant will be able to churn out up to 100,000 medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles per year.
ZM Trucks will eventually offer a full lineup of EVs in the North American market, from the Class 3 ZM4 cargo van (think of a big eSprinter or Ford Transit 3500 competitor) all the way up to the ZM T70 Class 8 terminal tractor with an absolutely massive 154,000 lb. GVWR (think Orange EV e-triever or Volvo/Mol RoRo).
Electrek’s Take
There is much digital ink being spent on California backing off its electric truck goals, Trump eliminating fake EV mandates, and other such distractions. The reality is that the math maths as it maths, and in those use cases where battery-electric vehicles offer superior TCO and reduced downtime compared to diesel, smart fleet operators will do what they always have: whatever makes cents.
SOURCE | IMAGES: ZM Trucks.
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Vammo, a battery-swapping service for electric motorcycles in Latin America, has just announced that the company has surpassed an impressive 1 million battery swaps in a little over a year.
The company has built its service around a combination of VMoto electric motorcycles and a battery-swapping service designed to keep those motorcycles rolling all day without stopping to charge.
Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Vammo’s electric motorcycles and battery swap cabinets currently serve around 1,800 customers, with that number growing quickly. The service was launched just over a year ago and has already saved its customers a combined US $1.3 million in fuel costs. That’s on top of preventing the release of 3,050 tons of CO2 emissions.
Vammo’s subscription model saves users as much as 50% compared to gasoline-powered motorcycles, translating into annual savings of thousands of dollars. “Not only are we helping to cut carbon emissions by 85%, but we’re also putting significant savings back into the pockets of our customers,” said Jack Sarvary, Vammo’s co-founder and CEO. “Many of our users, especially delivery drivers, are saving as much as $2,000–$4,000 per year, making electric mobility both affordable and sustainable.”
That success has led to rapid growth for the company. Last year alone, Vammo saw 8x growth in both revenue and customer base.
“Our growth demonstrates the power of affordable, clean transportation,” said Billy Blaustein, Vammo’s COO. “We are proving that sustainable mobility can be both accessible and scalable.”
Vammo’s VMoto models have now become the #1 registered electric motorcycle brand in Brazil, likely making the company the top player in Latin America.
Battery swapping for electric motorcycles has gained significant interest in the last few years, especially as Gogoro has expanded its world-leading model for swappable electric scooter batteries. But unlike Gogoro, which built a swappable battery standard and then began persuading other companies to adopt it, Vammo built its service around existing electric motorcycles and their already operational battery designs.
Vammo began operations in São Paulo and has positioned its service as a solution not only for Brazil but also for broader Latin America.
Brazil is uniquely suited for electric motorcycles and battery swapping, as the country not only sells 4x the amount of motorcycles per year as the US, but has some of the cleanest electricity in the world. Over 90% of the country’s electricity is generated by clean sources, primarily hydroelectric power, with wind and solar also contributing to the mix. Compare that to the global average of just 13%.
Vammo is building on its momentum, recently announcing a partnership with app-based taxi provider 99, offering mototaxi drivers access to its electric motorcycles.
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