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Proterra (bus manufacturer)

(Redirected fromProterra, Inc.)

Proterra Inc.was an American electric vehicle and powertrain manufacturer based inBurlingame, California.The company designed and manufacturedbattery electric transit buses,powertrain systems for other heavy-duty vehicle builders and charging systems for fleets of heavy-duty vehicles.

Proterra Inc.
Company typePublic
Nasdaq:PTRA (2021-23)
IndustryAutomotive
Founded2004(2004)inGolden, Colorado
FounderDale Hill
DefunctMarch 2024(2024-03)[1]
FateBankrupted
HeadquartersBurlingame, California
Area served
North America
Key people
Gareth Joyce (PresidentandCEO)
Production output
  • Increase1,229 battery systems
  • Decrease199 transit buses (2022)
RevenueIncreaseUS$309.4 million(2022)
DecreaseUS$(24) million(2022)
Positive decreaseUS$(238) million(2022)
Number of employees
1,247 (2022)
Websiteproterra.com
Footnotes / references
Financials as of December 31, 2022.
References:[2]

Founded in 2004, it became apublic companyin June 2021. The company delivered 199 new transit buses and battery systems for 1,229 vehicles in 2022. The company filed forChapter 11bankruptcyin August 2023.[3]In November, its assets were split into three divisions and sold off. The Proterra Powered powertrain manufacturing business line will operate as an independent company within theVolvo Group.The transit bus manufacturing business line was sold toPhoenix Motorcars.The Proterra Energy business line which built charging systems for fleets of heavy-duty vehicles was purchased by Cowen Equity.

History

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Proterra was founded inGolden, Coloradoby Dale Hill in 2004. Hill had previously founded TransTeq, a Denver, Colorado, bus manufacturing company, as well as Alumatech, a manufacturing company that made aluminum dump trailers. TransTeq was best known for building the fleet of "EcoMark" buses used on the16th Street Mallin Denver that wereseries hybridswith batteries charged by a generator connected to a smallcompressed natural gasfueled engine.[4]

Proterra would abandon the CNG technology used by its predecessor TransTeq, to take advantage ofFederal Transit Administration's (FTA) push for alternative fuels and forms of mobility through such programs as the Clean Fuels Grant Program Bus and Bus Facilities,[5][6]and theTIGERand TIGGER programs, which excluded CNG buses.[7]

A prototype of the company's first product, theEcoRide,was first shown at the 2008APTAExpo. Thebattery-electric bushad a composite body and range-extendinghydrogen fuel cellauxiliary power unit(APU).[8]: 34 Ultimately, the company decided to abandon the APU by the time the bus went on a tour of several cities in California in 2009.[9]The prototype helped secure an order from Southern California'sFoothill Transit,which received several EcoRide BE35 buses in 2010.[10]

In February 2010, Proterra announced that it would move its manufacturing plant from Golden to a location inGreenville, South Carolinajust outside of theClemson University International Center for Automotive Research(CU-ICAR).[11]In October 2011, the company announced it would consolidate all operations in Greenville, moving management and research teams from Colorado.[12]

Ryan Popple, formerly ofTesla Motors,was appointed CEO in 2014.[13]In 2015, Proterra was awarded a $3 million grant from theCalifornia Energy Commissionto fund the design, development and construction of the company's battery-electric transit bus manufacturing line in theCity of Industry, California.Proterra moved its headquarters fromGreenville, South Carolina,toBurlingame, California,in October 2015.[14]Popple served as CEO of Proterra until 2020 when board member Jack Allen was appointed CEO and Popple became the executive director.[15]Popple continued to work at Proterra until his death in 2021[16]

In January 2021, the company became publicly listed on theNasdaqafter areverse takeoverof aspecial-purpose acquisition company,ArcLight Clean Transition Corporation.[17]

In December 2021, Gareth Joyce was appointed CEO, effective January 1, 2022, while Jack Allen retired from the CEO role but continued to serve on the board.[18]

On August 7, 2023, Proterra filed forChapter 11 bankruptcyprotection.[19]Among reasons cited for the bankruptcy were supply chain disruption, leading to penalties for not meeting supplier contract commitments and for subsequent delayed deliveries, as well as the nature of the business of producing highly customized products for each transit agency, and over a period of 12 to 18 months, during which inflation cut into margins.[3][20][21]

In mid-November 2023, in the first of two bankruptcy proceedings,Volvo Groupplaced a winning $210 million bid for the Proterra Powered business line, which builds batteries and drivetrains for other heavy-duty vehicle builders.[22]In the second auction,[23]the transit bus manufacturing business line was sold toPhoenix Motorcarsand the Proterra Energy business line which built charging systems for fleets of heavy-duty vehicles was purchased by Cowen Equity.[24][25]

Products

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EcoRide (2010–2014)

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EcoRideoperated byTARCdocked in Proterra's proprietary overhead charger
Main article:Proterra EcoRide

TheProterra EcoRidewas the firstbattery-electric busoffered by Proterra, first shown as a prototype at the 2008APTAExpo inSan Diegowith a 35-foot (11 m) long composite body and range-extendinghydrogen fuel cellauxiliary power unit(APU).[8]: 34 The first EcoRide BE35, which omitted the APU, toured several cities in California in 2009.[9]EcoRide was offered only with alithium-titanate batterychemistry, which enabled fast on-route charging using the company's proprietary charger, but limited range.[26]Foothill Transitwas the launch customer, accepting delivery of several EcoRide BE35 buses in 2010.[10]

The EcoRide was replaced by the larger Catalyst in 2014.

Catalyst (2014–2020)

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Catalystoperated byKing County Metro Transitdocked in Proterra's proprietary overhead charger
Main article:Proterra Catalyst

TheProterra Catalystwas an evolution of the EcoRide, initially available as a standard 40-foot (12 m) transit bus length in 2014 with the same fast-charging battery as the EcoRide and a similar composite chassis.[27]A 35-foot (11 m) Catalyst was introduced in 2015 to directly replace the earlier EcoRide. Also in 2015, Proterra introduced the extended range (XR) battery, which offered greater range with slow charging at a storage yard.[28]In 2016, Proterra introduced the Energy Efficient (E2) battery which offered even greater range.[29]In 2017, a second drivetrain option featuring two traction motors for greater efficiency (branded DuoPower) was introduced.[30]In 2018, Proterra discontinued its proprietary overhead "blade" charger in favor of the then standardizedSAE J3105charging options.[31]

The Catalyst was replaced by the ZX5 line in 2020.

ZX5 (2020–2023)

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ZX5operated by Iowa City Transit
Main article:Proterra ZX5

TheProterra ZX5was announced as the replacement to the Catalyst, available in 35-and-40-foot (11 and 12 m) nominal lengths.Edmonton Transit SystemofEdmonton,Alberta was the launch customer for the 40-foot ZX5.

The ZX5 features the same composite chassis as the Catalyst but incorporates several design changes. Visually, the vehicle appears more angular, while the roof fairing is more streamlined and 6 inches (150 mm) shorter. On the roof, provisions were added for additional battery packs andSAE J3105(OppCharge) fast-charging rails.[32][33]

The ZX5 is offered with multiple battery options, designated ZX5, ZX5+, and ZX5 MAX for the 220, 440, and 660kWhmodels, respectively. Each of the three battery options is also offered with one of two drivetrains, which Proterra brands DuoPower (two traction motors) or ProDrive (single traction motor).[32][33]

Originally a Proterra product, the ZX5 has been manufactured and offered byPhoenix Motorcarssince 2024. Vehicles manufactured by Phoenix Motorcars no longer feature Proterra branding, instead using Phoenix's own.

Battery systems for others

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Van Hoolannounced a partnership with Proterra in October 2017 to build an electric version of theCX45motorcoach.[34]The CX45E would be followed by a shorter CX35E model. Both of the Van Hool coaches were powered by the Proterra E2 battery.[35]

Alexander Dennishas been offering an electric version of itsEnviro500double-decker bus with powertrains built by Proterra.[36]The Enviro500EV will use Proterra E2 battery packs, on-board charging hardware, and thermal management.[37]

Thomas Built Busesannounced a partnership with Proterra in October 2018 to build an electric version of theSaf-T-Liner C2school bus, called the "Jouley."[34][38]The Jouley is equipped with 220 kWh of battery storage, providing an estimated range of 134 miles (216 km) and capable of recharging in three hours using 60 kW DC fast charging equipment provided by Proterra.

In November 2021, Proterra announced a battery deal with Colorado'sLightning eMotors,maker of passenger and cargo vans, shuttle buses and other fleet vehicles, for up to 10,000 vehicle battery systems in 2022-2025.[39]

ENCannounced a partnership with Proterra in September 2022 to build an electric version of theAxesstransit bus, a direct competitor to the ZX5. The Axess EVO-BE is expected to be available in 2023 with 738 kWh of battery storage.[40]

The partnerships with other bus OEMs led Proterra to announce in August 2019 the Proterra Powered initiative, which supports OEMs that are interested in using Proterra's battery-electric drivetrain for heavy-duty commercial vehicles.[41][42]

In November 2023, Proterra's battery business was acquired by Swedish truck makerVolvofor $210 million.[43]

Development and manufacturing

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Proterra has its headquarters and a battery manufacturing facility inBurlingame, California,located inSilicon Valley.Batteries are also manufactured in Southern California'sCity of Industry.The company has a transit bus assembly facility inGreenville, South Carolinathat sits directly outside theClemson University International Center for Automotive Research(CU-ICAR).

The company's composite bus bodies are supplied byTPI Compositesusing its factory inWarren, Rhode Island.[44]TPI had previously developed a composite bus body forNorth American Bus Industrieswhich was marketed as theCompobus.[45]Proterra says that compared to a traditional steel body and frame, the composite body is lighter and allows most of the battery packs to be placed below the floor of the vehicle, between the axles, to achieve a low center of gravity.[46]

Proterra offers a battery leasing program where customers pay for the price of the battery over time rather than upfront when the bus is purchased. The company says that many customers can make lease payments using their operational savings from reduced fuel and maintenance costs.[46]

Chassis defects in Philadelphia

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25 Proterra buses, purchased bySEPTAin 2016 and delivered starting in June 2019 for transit service in Philadelphia,[47]were pulled from service in February 2020. It was reportedly the third-largest electric bus fleet in the United States.[48][49]SEPTA transit agency discovered defects in the composite chassis of the buses,[48]including cracks that Proterra characterized as "non-structural" in May 2019 and failed equipment brackets in January 2020.[50]

In a March 2021 email, SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards said she planned to tellFederal Transit Administrationofficials that she had doubts about "the future of electric vehicle procurement," adding, "I plan on explaining why we do not feel the current technology is a good investment at this time." The FTA helped underwrite the initial purchase of Proterra buses with a US$2.6 million federal grant.[50]SEPTA's chief vehicle engineering officer Dave Warner also said, "Proterra and its structural consultant… have been uncooperative in the resolution process."[50]

Proterra's composite frames use a mix of resin, fiberglass, carbon fiber, balsa wood, and steel reinforcement plates, according to a SEPTA report on the cracks. Proterra's lawyers would later analogize the issue discovered by SEPTA to cracking paint applied to a metal frame, raising doubts the issue could ever be "fixed."[50]"Proterra is unable to repair or permanently prevent the recurrence of cracking because it is an inherent part of the composite body material," wrote Josh Ensign, Proterra's chief operating officer.[50]

A similar issue was identified in New York'sTompkins Consolidated Area Transitwhere the frame on one of their Proterra buses separated from the axle when it was positioned on a lift on March 13, 2024. Additionally, mechanics identified cracks in the fiber-glass body of one of their buses.[51][52]Similar issues have not been reported by other US transit agencies; Delaware'sDART First Statestated their Proterra buses were not experiencing the same issues.[53]

See also

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Competing transit bus manufacturers:

References

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  1. ^"NOTICE OF (I) ENTRY OF CONFIRMATION ORDER, (II) OCCURRENCE OF EFFECTIVE DATE, AND (III) FINAL DEADLINES FOR FILING CERTAIN CLAIMS".RetrievedMarch 23,2024.
  2. ^"Proterra 2022 Annual Report"(PDF).March 17, 2023.RetrievedAugust 9,2023.
  3. ^abKorosec, Kirsten (August 9, 2023)."What led to EV darling Proterra's bankruptcy".TechCrunch.RetrievedOctober 15,2023.
  4. ^Franklin, Rod (August 26, 2002)."Buses combine natural gas with electrical system".Boston Business Journal.RetrievedJanuary 4,2020.
  5. ^"Clean Fuels Grant Program Bus and Bus Facilities (5309, 5318)".Federal Transit Administration. Archived fromthe originalon January 15, 2012.RetrievedJuly 12,2018.
  6. ^"Clean Fuels Grant Program (5308)".US: Federal Transit Administration.RetrievedApril 18,2016.
  7. ^Eudy, Leslie (2012).FTA's TIGGER Program Supporting Sustainable Transit Operations(PDF).Sustainability and Public Transportation Workshop. Colorado, US. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 3, 2016.RetrievedApril 18,2016.
  8. ^abStarcic, Janna; Roman, Alex; Schlosser, Nicole (November–December 2008)."Transportation's Green Future on Display at APTA EXPO"(PDF).Metro Magazine.pp. 20–50. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on December 29, 2009.
  9. ^abGage, Deborah (February 7, 2009)."Battery-powered bus offers a quiet ride".San Francisco Chronicle.RetrievedNovember 12,2020.
  10. ^abBarry, Keith (September 13, 2010)."Quick-charge electric bus rolls into L.A. County".Wired.RetrievedJuly 12,2018.
  11. ^Gouch, John."Proterra selects CU-ICAR for research, development and assembly of hybrid commercial vehicles".Newsstand – Clemson University News and Stories, South Carolina.RetrievedAugust 28,2018.
  12. ^"Proterra Moves Headquarters to South Carolina Facility".Mass Transit.October 12, 2011.RetrievedAugust 28,2018.
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  16. ^"Ryan Popple Obituary (1977 - 2021) - Half Moon Bay, CA - San Francisco Chronicle".Legacy.com.
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  24. ^Fehrenbacher, Katie (November 14, 2023)."Phoenix Motor, CSI snap up Proterra assets".Axios.
  25. ^"Phoenix Motorcars Announces Successful Bid for the Proterra Transit Business".Accesswire.November 14, 2023.RetrievedNovember 22,2023.
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  28. ^"Proterra introduces new extended range battery pack for electric transit buses; up to 180 miles".Green Car Congress.February 24, 2015.RetrievedJuly 12,2018.
  29. ^"Proterra launches new Catalyst E2 series electric bus with nominal range of up to 350 miles".Green Car Congress.September 12, 2016.RetrievedJuly 12,2018.
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  33. ^ab"Proterra ZX5 35 foot bus platform specifications"(PDF).Proterra, Inc.RetrievedNovember 6,2020.
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  47. ^Murphy, Darryl C. (June 7, 2019)."SEPTA goes electric with 25 new 'battery buses'".WHYY PBS/NPR.RetrievedFebruary 27,2024.
  48. ^abBriggs, Ryan (September 17, 2020)."Philly's entire fleet of battery-powered buses has been MIA since February".The Philadelphia Tribune.RetrievedSeptember 21,2020.
  49. ^Briggs, Ryan (September 17, 2020)."Philly's entire fleet of battery-powered buses has been MIA since February".WHYY PBS/NPR.RetrievedFebruary 27,2024.
  50. ^abcdeBriggs, Ryan (July 15, 2021)."SEPTA's cracking battery buses raise questions about the future of electric transit".WHYY.RetrievedJuly 15,2021.
  51. ^Patty (April 3, 2024)."TCAT Board on 4/12 will consider buying diesel buses to boost reliability".TCAT.RetrievedApril 4,2024.
  52. ^Jordan, Jimmy (April 1, 2024)."TCAT opts for new diesel buses amid electric fleet's reliability issues".The Ithaca Voice.RetrievedApril 4,2024.
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