A big THANKS to Raymond Benevidez – Vehicle Support Manager at Austin’s Resource Recovery (ARR) for participating in our Electric Refuse Hauler feedback session. Sessions provide the DOE and LSCF with fleet perceptions & experiences with specific energy efficient and cleaner technologies. With over 15 years of experience at ARR and 200 refuse collectors in his fleet, Benevidez has a broad history with energy efficient technologies and clean fuels. Each technology has pros and cons and actual fleet experiences with these technologies provide invaluable real world information to the DOE.
The expansive Inflation Reduction Act legislative package addresses a wide range of issues, including inflation reduction, domestic energy production and manufacturing, carbon emissions reductions, Medicare and health care costs, and tax loopholes.
Of interest to the biofuel and bioenergy industries, the newly signed law establishes new tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), clean transportation fuels and clean hydrogen. It also extends several existing tax credits that benefit transportation biofuels, such as renewable diesel and biodiesel, and includes funding for biofuel infrastructure development.
Blue Bird Corp. is offering a factory-certified electric repower program on select gasoline- and propane-powered Blue Bird school buses.
The company is collaborating with Lightning eMotors to jointly develop this repower electric vehicle (EV) powertrain system. Blue Bird customers can future-proof their school bus fleet by purchasing gasoline- or propane-powered vehicles and converting them easily and cost-effectively to zero-emission electric buses later. You can read more about the project here.
Out of the 8.9 million barrels of gasoline consumed daily in the U.S. on average, only 1.8 million gallons, or approximately 20 percent, actually propel an internal combustion vehicle forward. The other 80 percent is wasted on heat and parasitic auxiliary components that draw away energy. As the world begins its shift to EV proliferation, the good news is electric vehicles are far more energy efficient on the road.
A new set of graphics from Yale Climate Connections makes visualizing the efficiency gains of an EV over an ICE vehicle straightforward. Using data from fueleconomy.gov and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, these graphics break down the energy waste in your typical gas-powered car. Read the remainder of this MotorTrend article here.
Lightning eMotors, a provider of medium-duty and specialty commercial electric vehicles (EV) and charging solutions for fleets, has launched Lightning Insights, an extension of its telematics system built for monitoring and managing Lightning fleet assets in real-time.
The new system, which monitors up to 156 data points including vehicle location, state of charge, energy usage, efficiency, lifetime metrics with total driving hours, energy usage, vehicle health and many other important vehicle metrics, is integrated into every new Lightning eMotors vehicle. Additionally, Lightning Insights provides complete control over Lightning’s fleet charging solutions including charger access, charge time scheduling, load management, payment methods and more.
Xos Inc., a manufacturer of Class 5 through Class 8 battery-electric vehicles and powertrains and provider of charging infrastructure and fleet management software, has signed a strategic partnership with NationaLease, a full-service truck leasing organization in North America with over 900 locations and over 165,000 vehicles in its fleet. As part of the initial launch, NationaLease has chosen Xos to be a partner, whereby Xos vehicles and services will be listed as part of the offerings from NationaLease. Read more here. A new set of graphics from Yale Climate Connections makes visualizing the efficiency gains of an EV over an ICE vehicle straightforward. Using data from fueleconomy.gov and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, these graphics break down the energy waste in your typical gas-powered car. Read the remainder of this MotorTrend article here.
 | FY 2022 – 2023 FUNDING | STATUS |
| Diesel Emissions Reduction Incentive (ERIG)
| $ TBD | CLOSED |
| Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Grants Program (TNGVGP) | $34M | OPENING SOON |
| Seaport & Rail Yard Areas Emissions Reduction Program (SPRY) | $20M | OPEN |
| Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP) | $16M | CLOSED |
| Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLIP) | $17M | OPEN for CNG/LPG |
| Rebate Grants Program | TBD | Opening in October |
| Texas Clean School Bus Program (TCSB) | $13M | OPEN |
| Alternative Fueling Facilities Program (AFFP) | $12M | CLOSED |
| New Technology Implementation Grant (NTIG) | TBD | CLOSED |
| Governmental Alternative Fuel Fleet Grant Program (GAFF) | TBD | CLOSED |
TCEQ is now accepting applications for CNG and Propane vehicles only under the Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program. (They are no longer accepting applications for hydrogen fuel cell or electric vehicles.) Applications will be accepted and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Unless the application period is suspended by TCEQ prior to the deadline, applications must be received on the premises of the TCEQ no later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, January 7, 2023. Only vehicles purchased on or after September 1, 2021 from a dealer licensed to sell or lease vehicles in Texas are eligible.
TCEQ is now accepting applications under the Texas Clean School Bus Program (TCSB) Program. Applications will be accepted and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Unless the application period is suspended by TCEQ prior to the deadline, applications must be received at TCEQ no later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, October 20, 2022.
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