Proterra., Inc

Greenville, South Carolina | February 20, 2011 – Proterra, maker of the world’s first battery-electric, fast-charge transit bus will take part in the first IEEE Electric Vehicle Conference (IEVC). During IEVC, academic and industrial thought leaders will exchange information on new global trends in technology, engineering, standards and deployment aspects. The conference will be held at the TD Convention Center, March 4^th– 8^th, in Greenville, South Carolina.

Proterra Founder Dale Hill will be a plenary keynote speaker on Tuesday, March 6^that 8:00 a.m. He will discuss how Proterra Inc continues to innovate and advance the world of zero-emission, heavy-duty battery-electric vehicles.

“Proterra will be delivering buses to San Antonio, Texas and Tallahassee, Florida over the next six months and continues to make progress in advancing the adoption of battery-electric transit buses across the nation” said Hill. “The Proterra EcoRide not only offers the best total cost of ownership in the industry, it also allows transit agencies to meet future regulations now by drastically reducing carbon emissions.”

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

2012: The Year Ahead

January 13, 2012

Seneca aiming for more Proterra funds

February 14, 2012

SENECA — The city of Seneca could be welcoming a near $30 million in grant money for the expansion and beautification efforts connected to the Proterra electric bus program.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, Council approved four motions to apply for separate grants, ranging in total funds from $5 million to $13.5 million.

The first grant is the “Tiger grant”, which is a Federal Department of Transit fund that can be used for ‘rural projects’ and amounts up to $13.5 million.

“We are going to use that money to improve North First Street from Ingles intersection to downtown, up to Miracle Circle,” said Ed Halbig, codes official for Seneca. “We want to have designed stops for these buses so they don’t interrupt traffic, make the bus stops walkable from stop to stop. We want to improve the area down by Pete’s Restaurant so it doesn’t flood when it rains and focus on better sidewalks.”

The next grant would be for more of the same, he added, stating that a “livability grant” would tack on another $5 million for sidewalks and safety measures.

The third, dubbed a “state of good repair” grant would give $5 million to Seneca for extra buses.

“Part of what we are touting is the fact that we want to be an all-electric system,” Halbig added. “Which means we shouldn’t be dependent on a diesel bus if one of these breaks down and can’t complete a route.”

This grant would also help take care of bus facilities and even work toward having some buses stored in Seneca if a route ends in town, saving a trip back to Clemson just to start a route in Seneca the next morning.

And finally, the last grant comes from the recommendation of the Center for Transportation and Environment, which could add another $5 million to possibly develop a training and education program that could teach interested parties about the electric bus system and also train Proterra technicians in the city limits.

And in closing, Mayor Dan Alexander credited the late Mayor Larry Abernathy of Clemson with keeping such an open mind about public transportation over the years and during his time serving his beloved city.

“He always kept that door open,” he said. “He helped us so much here in Seneca with the CAT bus and we’re not even in his county. He had a vision of connecting all of our areas, even into Anderson and around the local universities. He will be greatly missed. He was a wonderful leader and visionary.”

Which Are Better: Electric Cars or Natural Gas Vehicles?

January 11, 2012

The debate has raged for years in alternative transportation. Electric vehicle (EV) advocates claim that the steady improvement in battery technology, the pervasiveness of the grid, and software and services to enable things like high-speed charging will make electrification of at least some portion of the transportation market inevitable.

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk predicts that 13 percent or more of cars coming off production lines could be electric by 2020 while Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn says 20 percent of its cars by 2020 will be electrics, and that doesn’t count standard hybrids, which are partly electric.

Electric will even play a role in public transportation, argues Proterra, which has created an electric bus for municipal transportation and a complementary high-speed DC charger that can get its 68-passenger behemoths back on the street in 20 minutes or less.

CNG advocates, however, claim they have a big advantage on their side: reality. CNG cars already exist and natural gas, thanks to hydraulic fracturing, could remain relatively cheap for some time.

Who is right? To be honest, both. EVs and CNG vehicles will percolate into the market over the next ten years depending on the circumstances. Here’s a general roundup of the pluses and minuses.

1. Efficiency. EVs tend to win hand down in this category, primarily because the large natural gas-burning turbines at power plants remain far more efficient than the small ones squeezed into cars. A 2010 report from MIT states:

While both EVs (electric vehicles) and NGVs (natural gas vehicles) have significant infrastructure requirements, there are major differences in their relative efficiencies. An NGV does not have comparable efficiency gains relative to electrification via natural gas generation. In general, 1,000 cubic feet (cf) of natural gas, converted to electricity, yields 457 miles in an EV. This same 1,000 cf in an NGV would only have a range of around 224 miles. (The quote comes from page 24 of the study.)

A 2006 paper by Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard, the first two of the five people listed as founders at Tesla Motors, found natural gas vehicles less efficient than hydrogen, hybrids, gas, diesel and electrics. Yes, Tarpenning and Eberhard are EV proponents, but the numbers work.

Proterra’s all-electric bus gets between 17.5 to 29 miles per gallon, according to the company. Even if you take 20 mpg as a estimate, that beats the 3 to 4 mpg for CNG buses, according to the Department of Transportation. (page 11).

2. Filling Stations. Again, it’s an EV victory. A 240-volt charger, which can charge a car within 3 to 8 hours, costs $2,000, including installation, according to Colin Read, vice president of corporate development at Ecotality.

“DC fast chargers are currently around $50,000 with installation, although these prices are anticipated to come down greatly,” Read added.

A CNG filling station, by contrast, costs around $750,000, says Bruce Russell, director of communications at Clean Energy Fuels, which builds CNG stations. The price includes compression equipment, typically planted underground, tanks and dispensers, hardware not needed in EV charging stations.

The high price of the filling stations means that CNG cars will likely be purchased by fleet owners for the foreseeable future. Fleet cars drive in somewhat predictable orbits relatively close to home base, which cuts down on the need for filing stations.

Clean Energy, however, hopes to take the sting out of the pricing and expand usability with portable and modular filling stations. It installed its first one, which can accommodate ten vehicles at once, in Chilliwack, Canada last month.

“It is all on wheels. It just needs an electrical connection and a gas connection,” Russell said. “It is going to widely expand the fueling opportunities.”

In all, the company built 68 filling stations in 16 states last year, including five LNG stations.

3. Vehicle Cost. Call it a toss-up. The all-electric Ford Focus starts at $39,200 before $7,500 in federal tax credits and state credits that can come to a few thousand. A standard Focus ranges in price from $16,500 to $22,000. Ford does not make natural gas cars, but some cars can be retrofitted into natural gas machines for around $10,000. Making cars that run natively on natural gas (like some manufacturers do on a limited basis) reduces the cost. But batteries are coming down too and EVs require less maintenance than combustion cars of any stripe.

4. Fuel costs. Electrics win—it only takes a fuel of electricity to go a mile–but CNG cars perform well. A CNG car operates on the equivalent of $2 per gallon of fuel. Since both save over petroleum and diesel, both will ultimately be attractive. Other factors on the list may weigh more in importance such as…

5. Range. This is where CNG begins to shine. A four-door CNG taxi with a tank that can hold the equivalent of 15 gallons of fuel can get close to 300 miles on a tank. 200 miles is easy. Most mid-range and economy-level EVs like the Nissan Leaf get almost 100 miles on a charge.

“It is not practical for that type of industry to use an EV,” said Gerry Koss, fleet marketing manager at Ford. “What are the choices? CNG provides a good alternative.”

Long range is also making liquefied natural gas a growing option in ppen water shipping and long-haul trucking. Sure, an LNG filling station might run you $1.2 to $1.5 million (Clean Energy Fuels’ estimate), but try to run a big rig on batteries. They weigh far too much: the batteries would add tons to the hauling mass. The company is currently conducting a pilot with Flying J truck stops to co-locate LNG spout at diesel stations.

Payback is easy to measure too, Russell says. A big rig might consume 20,000 gallons of fuel a year. If natural gas costs the equivalent of $2 per gallon, the driver or trucking company can saves $40,000 a year. A garbage truck might consume 10,000 gallons a year and cost $15,000 to retrofit. The retrofit pays for itself in less than a year and the truck might last seven years.

6. Charge Time. It takes only a few minutes to fill a CNG car. EVs can take hours.

So how will the debate shape up? The deciding factor could be fast DC charging. Fast charging papers over arguably the two biggest drawbacks on EVs—range and charge time—and it doesn’t depend on scientific breakthroughs in chemistry or physics like bringing down the cost and boosting the performance of batteries will require.

Fast charging requires money and regulatory help: electricity rates were not created to accommodate the burst-type consumption needed for fast charging.

And because power lines and transformers already criss-cross the country, it might be easier than trying to build a CNG superhighway. The fact that T. Boone Pickens and others have been lobbying for handouts from the Federal and state governments for natural gas indicates that the infrastructure for methane could get expensive.

Then again, heavy-duty vehicles may never be amenable to electric drive. They can be outfitted with micro-hybrid units to help cut gas during stops and starts, but may ultimately always rely on liquid fuel.

And it could take years for many fleet owners to get over range anxiety. A government agency that needs cars to check out municipal softball fields might be able to get by with electrics, but taxi routes are unpredictable. The passenger that gets in at O’Hare Airport might need to go downtown, or to Northern Indiana.

Proterra CEO Named Among Greenville’s 50 Most Influential People of 2011

January 03, 2012

Greenville, S.C. | Jan 3, 2012 – Proterra CEO David Bennett was named as one of Greenville’s 50 Most Influential People of 2011 by Greenville Business Magazine. Maker of the world’s first battery-electric, fast-charge transit bus, Proterra welcomed Bennett as its new CEO last September at the American Public Transportation Association Annual Meeting & Expo.

Individuals selected for this honor “made the most impact on Greenville during the past year in the business, government, education and nonprofit categories” according to Greenville Business Magazine. “David Bennett is leading Proterra as it continues to highlight the growing market for zero-emission solutions in the transit industry.”

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Innovation and time drives down the green price tag

January 05, 2012

While many may think the term “green” is as new as “environmentally friendly,” the fact is humans have been tinkering with what could be considered green technology since the 19th Century. For instance in 1899, 90 percent of New York City’s taxi cabs were electric. In that same year and in 1900, electric cars outsold all other types of cars, such as gas and steam-powered vehicles. Windmills played a major role in populating the western frontier.

Consider this: The U.S. could decrease its reliance on foreign oil by 40 percent if one in 10 Americans used public transportation each day. According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation in the U.S. saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline – more than 11 million gallons per day – and 37 million metric tons of carbon emissions. To match a similar reduction in carbon emissions, every household in New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Denver and Los Angeles combined would have to completely stop using electricity.

Public transportation agencies are now taking bigger steps to go green, certainly more than just offering free rides on Earth Day. Last year the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority began installing a new federally funded solar canopy installation at one of its bus garages. It will be the largest solar canopy installation in Georgia and the second largest in the U.S., and it will significantly off set power usage at the facility. Last April in Lafayette, IN, CityBus broke ground on a wind turbine project. The $2.18 million project will power CityBus facilities with renewable wind energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Meanwhile, Intercity Transit in Olympia, WA continues to enhance its bus stops with the installation of solar lights in bus shelters.

So, green is good, on this we can all agree, but what about the costs of going green?

Green technology is really no different than other innovations. Maturity of the product, and mass production all work naturally to bring costs down. Remember the high price tag of VCRs when they first hit the market? Historically, innovation and time whittles down product costs.

In the green bus industry costs are dropping annually in a number of areas, including batteries, composite body construction, and in motor and charging station technology.

“The maturity of the products is increasing, and this is something we’ve been able to take advantage of,” says Voith Product Group Manager Tracey Johnson. “In our energy storage systems we use ultra capacitors instead of batteries. That technology has really seen marked improvements over the last five to 10 years. It’s enabled our product to perform to the level that we expect. If we would have released it a number of years ago the maturity of that energy storage system would not have been there. We’re starting to see the product prove itself in the field. That’s actually the point where it has matured.”

“We have an aggressive cost down program that has already identified a number of areas for cost reduction, and we are just at the beginning of a deep dive on the process,” says Marc Gottschalk, chief business development officer for Proterra, Inc.

Proterra’s engineers have had their hands full trying to lower the cost of the company’s EcoRide BE35. One challenge has been lowering the cost of the typical bus components that have been used for years, such as seats.

“The early production units of certain components that are made specifically for our bus or a relatively small market, like all electric HVAC systems, do not yet have the advantage of price reductions caused by mass production,” Gottschalk says. “However, batteries for example are reducing in price substantially as EVs scale up leads to more price competition.”

Bus and trolleybus manufacturer DesignLine is focused on eliminating the large polluting engine and multi-gear automatic transmissions for all-electric drive vehicles. While the upfront costs are more for agencies going all-electric green with new buses, the savings literally down the road can be substantial.

“Our electric buses are coming in well under a million dollars, in the $850,000 to $950,000 range, and the markets are starting to support it,” says Josh Anderson, DesignLine’s executive vice president of engineering. “But even with an upfront in purchase cost, the maintenance costs drop about 55 percent and the fuel cost decreases about 60 percent. That still puts us a quarter million dollars below a diesel on a 12-year life cycle.”

Anderson says the cost of maintenance plummets with the death of the internal combustion engine, with all its belts and rotating components.

“The transmission is a high maintenance item with big costs,” Anderson says. “We estimate a 65 percent reduction in regularly scheduled oil, filter and belt changes. When you’re servicing an electric vehicle you’re not doing any of that for electric motors. We reduce the wear and tear on the brakes because we’re using the electric motor to perform some of that function through regenerative braking. We’ve electrified all of our accessories; the air conditioning compressor, the air compressor on the engine and the alternator’s gone.”

Anderson adds that he can now pay $6,000 for an electric motor off the shelf anywhere in the country. Technology has advanced to where there are no longer skyrocketing prices for various prototypes. From new electric buses down to their parts, costs are falling.

“Technologies are getting better, volumes are getting better,” Anderson says. “It’s becoming a more commodity-driven market. Spending a million dollars on a prototype is no longer needed. It’s not going to make these buses unavailable to most agencies.”

In the end, Johnson may very well sum up the direction for both the builders of current and future buses and the industry’s parts manufacturers.

“The final goal is a fully electrified vehicle,” Johnson says. “We’re building toward that.”

Proterra’s Goldman to Speak at EV Tech Symposium

January 03, 2012

San Diego, California | Dec 30, 2011 –Proterra, maker of the world’s first battery-electric, fast-charge transit bus will take part in The SAE 2012 Electric Vehicle Technology Symposium. The symposium will focus on real-world data and delivery on the latest innovations in electric vehicle technology. It takes place February 23, 2012 in San Diego, California.

Proterra business development officer Joshua Goldman will be speaking Thursday, February 23^rd at 10:45 a.m. on the Status of Heavy Duty EVs.

“Advancing EV technologies is essential to the continued evolution and forward progress within the transit world” said Goldman. “Not only can Proterra’s EcoRide drastically reduce carbon emissions, it can also create a predictable operating environment for public transit agencies – an increasingly important concern for agencies large and small who currently rely on fossil fuels.”

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Greenville again seeks aid to buy electric buses

November 28, 2011

A worker puts the final polishing to the windshield of the new bus. / KEN OSBURN/Staff

November 28, 2011 - Greenville, SC - Public transit agencies around the country are starting to buy Proterra Inc.’s battery-powered buses.

So far, however, they do not include the transit authority in Greenville, the city Proterra chose for its manufacturing plant and headquarters.

That will change if the Greenville Transit Authority is successful in its third application for federal funding to pay for a rapid-bus service using Proterra’s zero-emission vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to decide on the request in March, said Carl Jackson, GTA’s executive director and transportation director for the city of Greenville.

Meanwhile, Seneca this past week became the first South Carolina city to announce service using Proterra buses.

Seneca officials said they’d use $4.1 million from the Federal Transit Administration and $2 million from the Southern Co., the Atlanta-based power company, to buy five Proterra buses and launch all-electric bus service in the city of 8,300. Mayor Dan Alexander hopes the novel transit system will draw international attention and a stream of visitors.

Proterra had previously announced three-bus deals with transit agencies in California, Texas and Florida. The startup company has also deployed buses using hybrid technology at three sites as part of demonstration projects.

In Greenville, GTA has been twice rejected for federal funding it sought to develop a bus rapid transit (BRT) system using Proterra buses.

BRT lines are designed to provide faster, more efficient service than conventional bus lines without incurring the expense of a rail system.

In 2009, GTA asked unsuccessfully for about $100 million to pay for a regional BRT system stretching from Clemson University to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and from Travelers Rest to Fountain Inn.

In 2010, it sought — again unsuccessfully — $15 million to develop an eight-mile, nine-station BRT line that would link downtown with the International Center for Automotive Research.

In September, the GTA board initially declined to apply for federal funding again, then decided to go ahead within the past month, Jackson said.

In its latest application, GTA seeks $21.7 million to run eight Proterra buses along the previously proposed BRT line and also launch express service to GSP and Mauldin/Simpsonville.

As it did in its 2010 application, GTA envisions “transit villages” — clusters of housing, shops and offices — springing up within a 10-minute walk of each stop on the line.

The BRT line would start at the Kroc Center downtown and end at the St. Francis medical office complex near ICAR.

Along the way, it would stop at the Amtrak and Greenlink stations downtown, near the zoo at the corner of Washington Street and Laurens Road, near the TD Convention Center along Pleasantburg Drive, at Haywood Road, inside the Verdae development and at ICAR.

For 3.4 miles between Pleasantburg Drive and ICAR, the buses would travel by themselves along a dedicated route that is now an unused rail line controlled by Greenville County. The corridor would have room for pedestrians and bicycles and so could be used for recreation like the Swamp Rabbit Trail between downtown and Travelers Rest.

The buses would have onboard WiFi Internet service and multiple flat-panel televisions, according to GTA’s application for the federal money.

Proterra’s buses cost more than their diesel-fueled competitors, but the company says it’s worth it over the long run.

The company’s EcoRide model sells for between $850,000 and more than $1 million, depending on how many are included in the deal, how they’re equipped, the energy storage capacity and the size of the charger, said Marc Gottschalk, Proterra’s chief business development officer and general counsel. That compares to about $400,000 for a conventional diesel bus.

Gottschalk, however, said transit agencies can save $750,000 in fuel costs per bus over 16 years by using Proterra’s vehicles instead of diesel-powered ones.

Greenville Mayor Knox White said he rode a Proterra bus operated by Foothill Transit in Los Angeles County when he was in California about a month ago.

“So if anyone wonders if it’s for real, I’ve been there and seen it and it’s for real,” White said. “I certainly hope that soon we can see them on the streets of Greenville.”

Greenville County Councilman Fred Payne said he thinks the GTA plan would make Greenville more attractive to companies thinking about creating jobs in the area and would also spur development along the bus stops, a potential benefit to his Golden Strip constituents.

“It says something about sort of the level of the community that has a good transit system available,” Payne said.

Greenville businessman Jack Stone has said he’s ready to spend $10 million to launch the first phase of a 22-acre development at the planned bus stop near the intersection of Laurens Road and Pleasantburg Drive if the federal money comes in.

Gottschalk said he hopes GTA is successful in its latest try for federal funding.

Seneca “Goes Green” with Proterra Buses

November 22, 2011

Greenville | Nov. 22, 2011 – Proterra, the leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, was named by the City of Seneca as the intended manufacturer to build the city’s next generation of transit buses.

Last week, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $112 million in clean fuels and TIGGER (Transit Investments in Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction)grants. The City of Seneca received one of 46 awardsand received a TIGGER grant from the FTA for approximately $4.1 million.

During a press conference this morning at City Hall, local and state officials shared their plans to use these funds, along with additional public and private funding, to replace Seneca’s current diesel buses with 35-foot, fast charge battery electric buses built locally by Proterra in Greenville, S.C.

In a letter to Seneca officials, Al Gore congratulated them on a choice that will have both a positive impact the environmental as well as U.S. job creation.

“Its exciting days in Seneca” said Mayor Dan Alexander, “the City of Seneca will be the first in the nation to be a totally Electric Bus System.” City Administrator Greg Diettrick added “The best is yet to come. Stay tuned for bigger events coming to our city.”

Clemson Area Transit (CATbus) general manager Al Babinicz shared “We hope eventually as the battery technology improves over time to eventually expand the all-electric concept to other areas like Clemson University, the city of Clemson and beyond.”

Foothill Transit in Pomona, Calif., is already operating EcoRide buses and VIA San Antonio Transit, as well as StarMetro in Tallahassee, Fla., have placed orders with Proterra. These orders are being built at the current assembly line plant in Greenville, S.C.

For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Officials May Buy Proterra Electric Buses

November 17, 2011

November 17, 2011 - CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson Area Transit Executive Director Al Babinicz said Monday that Clemson University and the city of Seneca are continuing to explore options regarding the purchase of electric buses.

“We’re probably a year away as we expect to know about grant opportunities within the next year,” Babinicz said.

Electric buses have been on the minds of local officials for nearly a year. Representatives toured the Proterra Inc. plant in Greenville last May.

Proterra Inc. features the world’s first battery-electric bus that can charge in under 10 minutes and provides FastFill charging stations.

David Bennett, center, the new CEO of Proterra, Inc., said he believes Clemson and Clemson University have an excellent chance to secure grant funding for electric buses in the near future. Seneca is also seeking up to five electric buses for its transit route. Jessica Nelms | The Journal

New Proterra Inc. CEO David Bennett and Proterra founder Dale Hill were among the officials present at Monday’s formal dedication of the new CAT headquarters and bus facility on West Lane. Bennett said he believes there is a good possibility that at least a portion of the nearly $22 million in electric bus grant monies being sought will be approved.

“CAT has good ridership in a smaller market, with almost two million riders, and Al delivered this facility on time and on budget,” Bennett said. “I think that’s something the state and federal governments are looking at, and we’re trying to expedite the process as much as possible.”

Seneca City Administrator Greg Dietterick said last August that the ultimate goal was to purchase up to five electric buses for the city.

“We feel that Seneca fits the prototype with routes and technology that electric buses enjoy today,” Dietterick said.

Proterra Inc. Featured on CBS Evening News

November 11, 2011

Greenville, S.C. | November 11, 2011 – Proterra Inc., producer of the world’s first fast-charge battery-electric bus, was featured Friday, November 11, 2011 on CBS Evening News. CBS Investigative Reporter Anna Werner visited Proterra during a visit to South Carolina to report on its “SmartState Initiative.” (watch the video)

Established in 2002, the SmartState Program invests in talent and infrastructure at South Carolina's three research universities, including Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, S.C., to drive economic development. SmartState supports research in areas that will help companies grow, attract new business to the state, build a technology-rich economy, and create more opportunities for South Carolina residents.

Proterra mechanical design engineer Neeraj Chirmulay, a recent graduate from the CU-ICAR masters of engineering program, was interviewed by Werner who asked if he liked working for Proterra. His response: “Love it.”

Werner also spoke with founder Dale Hill on Proterra’s relocation to Greenville, S.C., and manufacturing team member Julie Shepherd who, after many years of filling temporary positions, found permanent employment with Proterra.

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world’s first full-size, 10-minute charge transit bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Proterra Exhibits at 46th CTA Fall Conference & Expo

October 29, 2011

San Jose C.A. | Oct. 29, 2011 – Proterra, maker of the world’s first battery-electric, fast-charge transit bus will take part in the 2011 California Transit Association Annual Fall Conference & Expo. Titled “Exploring Transit’s Future: The Journey Continues,” the expo will focus on today’s most pressing transit issues and happenings including funding, legislation, safety, agency programs, best practices, new products and more. The event takes place November 2, 3 and 4 in San Jose, California.

California Transit 46th Annual Conf. & Expo

“With rapidly changing technologies, increasing demands on public transit and changing legislation, it is important to stay connected and in tune with shifts in California’s transit industry” said Joshua Goldman, director of business development. “It is exciting to be a part of an organization that is actively implementing technologies to meet future demands. Not only do our buses significantly reduce carbon emissions, but they also create a more predictable operating environment for public transit authorities.”

Proterra’s EcoRide™ already meets the Federal Transit Administration’s goals set forth for its preferred electric drive vehicle of the year 2030, putting it 20 years ahead of schedule. Foothill Transit in Pomona, C.A. has three EcoRide™ BE35 buses in operation and VIA San Antonio Transit will be deploying Proterra buses later this year.

Proterra Moves Shop, Converts More Buses and Lands on Leno’s Website

October 27, 2011

The company said that shifting all management and research operations to their battery-electric bus manufacturing facility could help increase its production capacity. The move has brought more advanced research and manufacturing jobs to the Upstate of South Carolina as well.

“As we continue to evaluate our efficiency and scale operations, we saw value in consolidation – bringing all operational components of our company under one roof,” said CEO David Bennett.

Earlier this year, Proterra partnered with Napa Valley (Calif.) Unified School District to convert an older CNG school bus into an all-electric drive system. If the initial conversion goes as planned, Napa’s transportation director, Ralph Knight, said another CNG bus would also be converted. Districts in Colorado, Pennsylvania and Florida are also testing the electric school buses.

Meanwhile, the Proterra EcoRide fast-charge, battery-electric bus was featured on comedian Jay Leno’s Garage website on Oct. 10. The host of NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" visited with George Karbowski at Foothill Transit in Pomona, Calif., where Proterra’s buses have been in service since last year.

“To have the EcoRide bus featured by Jay on his website is a testament to the revolutionary nature of the bus for the public transit industry,” Bennett said.

The EcoRide fast recharge battery can deliver the diesel equivalent of 17 to 21 miles per gallon — about a 500-percent improvement over conventional buses, according to the company. Proterra designs and manufactures heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations.

Proterra Secures $15 M Credit Facility with Silicon Valley Bank

October 25, 2011

BROOMFIELD, CO – October 25, 2011 — Proterra, the leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, secured $15M in working and growth capital financing from Silicon Valley Bank, financial partner to technology, cleantech and life science companies of all sizes worldwide. Proterra will use the new funds to help finance existing orders and new sales, and it will help extend financial runway to Proterra’s next round of venture capital financing.

Servicing the growing market for zero-emission solutions in the transit industry, Proterra’s EcoRide is the world’s first battery-powered electric bus that can charge in less than 10 minutes, replacing conventional diesel buses. When compared to traditional diesel buses used throughout the country, the EcoRide consistently performs with up to 600 percent better fuel efficiency, averaging more than 21 MPGe when fully loaded with 64 passengers. Proterra’s bus complies with federal and state mandates to reduce emissions 20 years ahead of the requirements. When compared to the diesel equivalent, fuel and maintenance cost savings will exceed $800K over the vehicle’s life.

“The team at Silicon Valley Bank has been a diligent partner, helping us put together an excellent financing solution that will help us continue to grow,” said Jack McFarland, CFO of Proterra. “Having a bank that understands that innovation requires creativity in all aspects of your business, including its financing, is invaluable. We are grateful for Silicon Valley Bank’s support, as well as its broad set of services that will help us manage our business successfully.”

In addition to new financing and cash management services, Proterra recently began working with Silicon Valley Bank’s asset management team, its Analytics group for valuations and its CapMx product to manage its capitalization tables.

“What is so great about working at Silicon Valley Bank is the chance to work with innovative companies that are finding new and better ways to improve the status quo,” said Cindy Schatz, senior relationship manager of Silicon Valley Bank in Colorado. “Although not yet in full production, Proterra’s buses have already been sold to several municipalities to support their public transportation needs, and that’s exciting.”

Silicon Valley Bank’s experienced cleantech bankers offer a comprehensive suite of financing solutions, treasury management, corporate investment and international banking services to its clients worldwide.

About Proterra With manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world’s first full-size, 10-minute charge transit bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

About Silicon Valley Bank Silicon Valley Bank is the premier bank for technology, life science, cleantech, venture capital, private equity and premium wine businesses. SVB provides industry knowledge and connections, financing, treasury management, corporate investment and international banking services to its clients worldwide through 26 U.S. offices and seven international operations. (Nasdaq: SIVB) www.svb.com.

Silicon Valley Bank is the California bank subsidiary and the commercial banking operation of SVB Financial Group. Banking services are provided by Silicon Valley Bank, a member of the FDIC and the Federal Reserve System. SVB Financial Group is also a member of the Federal Reserve System.

Proterra Featured at The Battery Show

October 21, 2011

Greenville, S.C. | Oct. 23, 2011 – Proterra, maker of the world’s first battery-electric, fast-charge transit bus will take part in The 2011 Battery Show: The Expo for Advanced Batteries. The expo takes place October 25, 26 and 27^th in Novi, Michigan and is America’s biggest free to attend exhibition for advanced batteries.

“Our organization realizes the challenges facing the transit industry in terms of rising costs and changing regulations” said Hill. “Proterra’s EcoRide bus trades the unpredictability of volatile fossil fuel costs for the reliable cost of electricity resulting in dramatic fuel cost savings. The Battery Show is just one more opportunity to promote implementation of advanced battery technology throughout North America.”

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Proterra Featured at InnoMobility 2011

October 18, 2011

Greenville, S.C. | Oct. 18, 2011 – Proterra founder and chief technical officer Dale Hill spoke at the inaugural InnoMobility Conference in Greenville, S.C. describing Proterra as a paradigm shift in the transit industry.

“The public transit industry faces an unpredictable future in regard to operating expenses, wage increases and fuel costs. Proterra’s EcoRide fast-charge, battery-electric bus provides a highly predictable solution trading volatile fossil fuel costs for lower electricity costs” stated Hill. Hill shared with the crowd how this revolutionary public transit vehicle is the result of hard work, teamwork, and strategic partnerships with investors, municipalities, transit authorities and operators as well as the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), the Federal Transportation Association and the Department of Energy among others.

“Our participation in InnoMobility2011 is an opportunity to connect with other Greenville tech companies in support of Greenville’s business community – one that has rallied to support us and made us a proud member.” said Hill.

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world’s first full-size, 10-minute charge transit bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Proterra EcoRide Bus Featured on Jay Leno’s Garage

October 10, 2011

Greenville, S.C. | Oct. 10, 2011 – The ProterraEcoRide fast-charge, battery-electric bus is being featured today on the Jay Leno’s Garage website. Leno visited with George Karbowski at Foothill Transit in Pomona, Calif., where Proterra’s buses have been in service since late last year. In the video, Leno takes the Ecoliner (Foothill Transit’s name for the EcoRide) for a spin and discusses the future of public transit with Karbowski.

“Jay Leno’s Garage is known for showcasing the leading vehicles and technologies in the automotive industry,” said David Bennett. “To have the EcoRide bus featured by Jay on his website is a testament to the revolutionary nature of the bus for the public transit industry.”

Along with the video, the website contains a number of images of the EcoRide bus taken at Foothill Transit.

With its headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world’s first full-size, 10-minute charge transit bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Proterra Introduces New CEO at 2011 APTA EXPO

October 03, 2011

New Orleans | Oct. 3, 2011 – Proterra,the leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, announced today at the 2011 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) EXPO that it has appointed David Bennett as its new chief executive officer.

“The APTA show is a wonderful place to showcase our EcoRide bus, the world’s first battery electric bus that can charge in under 10 minutes,” said Bennett. “Zero-emission transit solutions, like the EcoRide, are receiving more and more attention as transit agencies across the country are looking for ways to lower operating costs. Proterra is poised to deliver unprecedented efficiency in the commercial transit arena, and I am thrilled to take leadership at a time like this.”

Bennett also expressed both his enthusiasm for leading the team that brought the EcoRide to market and continuing collaboration with Proterra’s lead investors, venture firm Kleiner Perkins, General Motors Ventures and Mitsui Global investments. “It is not often you get the opportunity to take a leading-edge product to market,” said Bennett. “I am very much looking forward to the challenge.”

Bennett brings significant experience in the power unit and vehicle industry, serving most recently as vice president of business development for the industrial sector for Eaton. Bennett also spent time in other operational and corporate managerial roles with Honeywell and General Electric. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and an MBA from Drexel University.

Bennett will lead Proterra as the company continues to highlight the growing market for zero-emission solutions in the transit industry. Proterra’s EcoRide is the world’s first battery electric bus that can charge in under 10 minutes, replacing conventional diesel buses on a one-for-one basis operating 24/7. When compared to traditional diesel buses used throughout the country, the EcoRide consistently performs with 600 percent better fuel efficiency – averaging more than 21 MPGe – when fully loaded with 64 passengers.

With manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world’s first full-size, 10-minute charge transit bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com.

Proterra Signs Contract with StarMetro

October 03, 2011

New Orleans | Oct. 3, 2011 – Proterra,the leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, has signed an agreement with StarMetro, the transit provider in Tallahassee, Fla., to deliver three new EcoRide zero-emission transit buses and a charging station.The contract stems from a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant received by StarMetro to pursue fast-charge, electric transit buses and charging stations.

“StarMetro realizes that the future of the commercial transit industry lies in zero-emission solutions, and they are on the leading edge by taking steps to future-proof their fleet,” said David Bennett, chief executive officer for Proterra. “Proterra provides the best in the industry for fast-charging battery electric buses with our EcoRide bus taking less than 10 minutes to fully charge. With EcoRide, Proterra can help transit agencies reduce their operating costs with the added benefit of emissions-free, low-noise operation.”

Six other major urban transit agencies received similar FTA grants. Foothill Transit in Pomona, Calif., is already operating three EcoRide buses and VIA San Antonio Transit will be deploying its EcoRide buses later this year. The four other agencies that will be issuing requests for proposal are Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) in Reno, Nev., King County Metro Transit in Seattle, Wash., Chicago Transit Authority and Fresno Area Express (FAX) in Fresno, Calif.

In addition to its unmatched energy efficiency and overall cost savings, Proterra’s clean transit solutions offer California transit agencies a way to address the Zero Emission Bus (Zbus) rule, which requires large California agencies to purchase 15 percent of their annual bus orders as zero-emission buses starting in 2012.

Proterra will manufacture the new orders at its current assembly line plant in Greenville, S.C. Proterra and StarMetro plan to have the buses in service by the spring of 2012.

Proterra Fulfills its Mission as a Mode of Motion

October 01, 2011

The acclaimed inventor Thomas Edison once defined electricity as a mode of motion, a description that could just as easily apply to Proterra Inc., Greenville SC, a manufacturer of advanced technology for heavy-duty transit buses powered solely by clean domestic fuels and all-electric propulsion.

Formed in 2004, Proterra has been perfecting a battery-powered electric bus that can operate on the same routes as a diesel or CNG bus, and save maintenance repairs and fuel costs. The company's EcoRide BE 35 has been put to the test for a year at Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA. Other buses are planned for San Antonio, TX and Tallahassee, FL.

It has been a rollercoaster for Proterra. In August, the company moved its headquarters from Golden, CO to Greenville, SC and into the company's 220,000-square-foot plant. But not before an investor pled guilty in the spring to charges of wire, securities and investment adviser fraud as well as conspiracy, which forced Proterra to search for other funding sources to keep rolling.

Bright news came in June when the company received $30 million from an investment group led by the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. The group included GM Ventures, Mitsui & Co., Vision Ridge Partners and 88 Green Ventures.

"We went through a challenging period that forced us to slow production while we went out and raised additional capital," says Proterra Chief Business Development Officer Marc Gottschalk. "The investors have given us a lot of strength in terms of not only financial backing but also in experience. This is a game changer for Proterra."

With the investment money confirmed, Jon Lauckner, president of GM Ventures, referred to the expenditure as his company's commitment to the electric propulsion and the fast-charge technology that will advance the global transportation industry.

"GM Ventures is helping us in a lot of different ways," Gottschalk says. "Our investors have worked with us on recruitment of new talent and have been working with us on battery technology. They have offered assistance in making sure our manufacturing processes are efficient, and generally stepping up to the plate in a real way to support our company."

He says GM Ventures' involvement may be seen as a stamp of approval for the future of rechargeable transit vehicles.

"In some respects we believe GM Ventures jumped on board because of what they could learn from us," Gottschalk says. "We're on the cutting edge, and I think GM appreciates that."

The $30 million influx cam months after the company was stung by and investor scandal involving Francisco Illarramendi. The 42-year-old was a majority owner of Stanford, CT-based Michael Kenwood Group LLC, and pled guilty to multiple fraud counts. The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Illarramendi took approximately $53 million in investor money out of a hedge fund without the consent of the fund's investors. Prosecutors called it a Ponzi scheme. Illarramendi awaits sentencing and faces 70 years in prison.

In the aftermath, dozens of workers were laid off at the South Carolina plant and some small suppliers bailed out. In the end, Proterra hung on to the vast majority of its permanent workforce and many customers rallied around the company.

One move put on hold is a proposed new plant planned for Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville.

"We've put off developing the building and will make a decision on that by the end of the next year," Gottschalk says. "We've taken on the entire space of the facility we're in under a three-year lease. We're remaining flexible. We're going to see how the demand increases, how quickly we can scale up, and then make a decision when we pull the trigger on a permanent facility."

"There is a change in direction with the new investors, in that we have decided to pour even more resources into engineering, while manufacturing will scale a little bit more slowly. We have a lot of hiring going on right now, and the tip of the spear is in engineering hires."

In August, moving trucks backed up to the doors of the company's Golden, CO headquarters, and when fully packed headed east to Greenville.

"As a practical matter for an early-stage company it makes sense for everyone to be in one place," Gottschalk says.

The EcoRide BE35 contains all-electric components, including an electric drive motor that allows for a quieter ride. Proterra claims that without the maintenance or fuel costs associated with conventional buses, the Proterra BE35 achieves a 400-percent improvement in fuel economy, and greater than $300,000 savings in total lifetime operating expenses.

For a year three EcoRides have been in regular use by Foothill Transit. Dubbed the "Ecoliner," Foothill Transit officials put the new buses on a 19-mile, very busy, local line with nearly 60,000 boardings a month. Reports show the Ecoliner is progressing as anticipated, is meeting expectations, and continues to indicate overall energy efficiency.

"The system is designed for a two-to-four-hour transit bus cycle, which typically related to 30 to 40 miles," says Joshua Goldman, Proterra director of business development. "Over 50 miles has been demonstrated at Foothill."

Through an upcoming RFP process, Proterra will be bidding for the chance to provide Foothill Transit with more buses. Meanwhile, three EcoRides are slated for delivery to StarMetro in Tallahassee, FL, with an additional three bound for San Antonio's VIA Metro Transit.

"In think the fair assumption is that we would be delivering San Antonio toward the end of this year and Tallahassee toward the beginning of next year," Gottschalk says. "We obviously want to get them there as soon as possible, but we also want to make sure they are 100 percent quality vehicles when they show up."

"We've been talking with Proterra for a couple of years," says StarMetro Executive Director, Ron Garrison. "As the technology developed we thought it would be perfect for Tallahassee. The city has the most advanced smart grid system in the country. It fits who we are from a point of technology."

With the industry watching with great interest, Gottschalk describes Proterra as a rocket ship on a launch pad, ready to blast off and transform bus transit with its EcoRide BE35. Proterra's new investors have generated excitement in the industry. Gottschalk says bigger vendors are coming out of the woodwork to offer their products, help and expertise; the company is fielding calls from the Borg-Warners and Vapor Doors of the world.

"The two biggest issues we've had on those buses aren't chargers or motors, it's a front door," Goldman says. "We developed our own prototype door and mechanism because there was nothing available on the shelf."

Goldman says Proterra worked together with Borg-Warner on their bus transmissions and Vapor Doors on the front door mechanism to address flaws that eventually led to upgrades.

Proterra is currently reevaluating the EcoRide in every detail from the body down to the smallest bolt, which the company believes will lead to engineering advances that will also drive down the cost.

"As we go forward we are not remotely concerned about this bus being a cost-competitive vehicle with the other technologies," Gottschalk says. "It's not even a question in our minds."

Gottschalk is confident that Proterra's EcoRide will be the answer to one of transit's most constant concerns: fuel cost.

"Transit agencies live in fear of the annual fluctuations in fuel prices," he says. "But historically the price of electricity is a flat line. Suddenly, fuel sources that were normally unpredictable on an annual basis become entirely predictable. That is important."

Proterra’s “Bus Of Tomorrow”

September 12, 2011

Major essentials that are needed for “the bus of tomorrow” are expected to include zero emissions, noted reliability and strong infrastructure support. According to officials from Proterra, “This bus of tomorrow is available today at a commercially competitive price — the company’s fast-charge EcoRide™ BE-35 battery-electric bus.”

Now in use at several locations, the 35-foot bus offers seating close to a 40-foot vehicle. The composite body bus, built in Greenville, SC, is designed for an 18-year life span and is well suited for 24/7 urban bus operations. Among the “game changers” for the EcoRide™ BE-35 are Proterra’s 10-minute charge FastFill™ charging system and 2- to 4-hour (30 to 50 miles typical) repeated route capabilities, according to Proterra Director of Business Development Joshua Goldman.

“The FastFill™ is an up to 500-kilowatt electric bus charging system that can recharge the EcoRide’s™ batteries from empty to full in less than 10 minutes,” Goldman said. The charging unit is comprised of both software and hardware to rapidly charge the TerraVolt™ Energy Storage System on the EcoRide™, with a greater than 92 percent energy charge efficiency in as little as 6 minutes. While such power transfer normally might require a substantial grid connection to feed the fast charge rate, company officials say that Proterra’s proprietary architecture allows for lower cost and lower impact grid connections while maintaining high charge rates.

According to the company, Proterra’s TerraVolt™ Energy Storage System, ProDrive System and FastFill™ charge stations provide a solid solution for fleet vehicle operators with the following results:

Another key feature of the EcoRide™ BE-35 is its composite body, designed for extra long life, low weight and non-conductive safety, according to the company. “The TerraVolt lithium-titanate batteries used in the EcoRide™ BE-35 provide for safe chemistry, a wide temperature operating range and 4- to 10-times longer cycle life than typical lithium batteries used in electric cars,” Goldman said.

“One of the great features of our bus is that it gets between 17 and 29 miles per gallon (diesel equivalent range), which is significantly better than competing solutions.” He added there are other savings involved with the EcoRide™ BE-35. Because the bus is not the first heavy-duty vehicle to use a composite body, available data shows repairs are 80 percent less expensive than those of a steel body bus, Goldman said. Also, the heavy-duty motor of the EcoRide™ BE-35 has fewer moving parts, requires no constant oil changes and should be robust enough to last the vehicle’s life, according to Proterra. As for the brakes, with more than 90 percent regeneration of energy from braking to the battery taking place, brake systems should last longer with less frequent repairs and replacements.

Proterra, headquartered in Golden, CO, was founded in 2004 by Dale Hill with a vision to design and manufacture worldleading advanced technology in heavy-duty vehicles that are powered solely by clean domestic fuels. After launching a successful fleet of CNG hybrid-electric buses for another company in the 1990s that are still in use in Denver, CO, Hill formed Proterra. The goal was to develop and deliver the “bus of tomorrow” to meet a need expressed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

“Due to his past success, the FTA approached Dale Hill in 2004 and asked him to develop a fuel cell bus of tomorrow. He responded that he would make a battery-dominate hybrid bus that would feature a fuel cell serving as a hybrid range extender, to extend the range of the bus when its batteries were completed,” Goldman said. “Dale began to develop his fuel cell bus with the lion’s share of the work starting in 2007. In 2008, we also started developing a fast-charge electric
bus based on some of our initial successes with the battery we chose for the hybrid fuel cell vehicle.”

Soon after the start of Proterra, the company recognized the benefits of its TerraVolt™ batteries and their inherently safe chemistry. The development of the EcoRide™ and FastFill™ charging system followed. With the launch of the EcoRide™ BE-35, Proterra has become a leading innovator in zero emissions commercial vehicle solutions. Its technology is expected to help transit agencies deliver clean, quiet running, rider and neighborhood friendly vehicles that meet government regulations and local mandates, according to the company.

In fact, Proterra has been recognized by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as being the first to deliver a full-size transit vehicle that meets California’s Zero Emission Bus Rules, according to the company. “Our focus is to create safe and economical vehicles and charging systems that offer the highest per passenger fuel economy of any public transit option, along with the lowest operating costs,” Goldman said. “While our vehicles are pure zero-emission buses, the energy source of our electric charging stations can range from a variety of alternative fuels.”

Proterra is continuing to work with the U.S. federal government in the research of hydrogenfueled range extension, though Goldman said market economics are currently not in place for mass commercialization of this option until feedstock fuel costs come down significantly. “The current EcoRide™ is fast-charge, plug-in capable with a 30- to 50-mile range. However, the range for fuel cell buses can be extended another 200 to 250 miles with hydrogen stored on the roof of the bus. The hydrogen goes though a pair of fuel cell engines for onboard re-charging of the batteries,” Goldman said. “We believe there may be a future for hydrogen buses, but with the plug-in EcoRide™ BE-35, we are able to take advantage of more economical electricity costs. With a pure electric bus, there is potential to experience $400,000 or more in fuel costs savings over a 12-year life span compared to conventional diesel buses, and similar fuel savings when compared to diesel hybrids. Even more important, transit agencies can plan for the future with predictable electricity prices rather than being at the mercy of continual price spikes in fossil fuels.”

Any company that focuses on new technology and ideas is greatly benefited by partners with the same goals. Proterra has had several partners throughout its history among transit, finance and government entities that share the company’s vision of safe, cost effective and clean transportation. “This partner list is growing to include our most recent investors who are sure to take our business to the next level,” Goldman said. Groups helping Proterra succeed to the next level come in the form of both public and private partnerships.

On the public side, many transit and government agencies remain active in demanding clean technology, according to Goldman. On the private side, meanwhile, Proterra’s vendors continue to provide key components and technology that come in the form of chargers, batteries, motors, etc. Proterra has also benefited from private investment firms who look at technology as a solid return on investment. Goldman credits several transit agencies in helping get Proterra’s projects off the ground and into transit service.

“We are blessed to have strong partners as our early adopters. This includes Foothill Transit, in West Covina, CA; VIA Metropolitan Transit, in San Antonio, TX; and StarMetro, in Tallahassee, FL, among others,” he said. “All these agencies are at various levels of vehicle deployment, much in part to strong leadership and financial support. “An additional handful of transit systems have been awarded U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGGER II grants for the purchase of electric buses. We hope to become a partner with them for furthering a pilot program resulting in full-fledged commercial supply. In the summer of 2011, a larger number of public agencies applied for TIGGER II and other federal grant programs in order to expand market deployment around the country.

We are also looking to Canada for partners to further our project developments.” Goldman said the market for clean and efficient transportation continues to grow on a monthly basis, especially as fuel prices become more volatile. “We have what we feel is a class-leading product and a very accepting customer base. The form of transportation that we offer is still in its early stages of deployment, but there is no reason we cannot be on equal, if not better, footing to hybrid and natural gas buses over the next few years,” he said. “As a company, we appreciate the early efforts of such agencies as Foothill Transit, Via Metropolitan Transit, StarMetro and others. They were the early champions that got our project off the ground. We are now starting to see other systems looking at electric buses at a viable option.”

He added that Proterra has been able to help customers receive well-funded government grants to help pilot the company’s EcoRide™ and charging system program. “Providing a pure zero emissions bus makes it much easier to quantify GHG (greenhouse gas) impact compared to mobile source carbon- based fuels,” Goldman said. “We also work with a customer’s utility source to help with the purchase or installation of renewable sources of electricity (such as wind and solar). This allows for a near zero well-to-wheel GHG impact for moving public passengers. “I will be the first to admit there is no such thing as a zero emissions vehicle. For example, such parts as tires, plastics and rubber hoses all give off some emissions. It’s part of that new car smell we all like. But, it terms of real emissions compared to any other technology except fuel cell, electric vehicles are the most emissions- free that can be purchased. About the only thing that tends to beat us in the per-passenger fuel economy race is the bicycle.”

Since the company’s beginning in 2004, Proterra has assembled a strong management and engineering team experienced in heavy-duty vehicles; state-of-the-art manufacturing; and advanced energy storage, charging and drive systems. The company announced in 2010 its plan to build a full-scale research and development center and manufacturing plant on the campus of Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CUICAR), located in Greenville, SC. Moving manufacturing to Greenville provides Proterra with access to tremendous research and development resources for the EcoRide™ BE-35 and the FastFill™ charging stations.

“Our goal is to construct over 1,500 buses per year and grow the company to more than 800 employees over the next five years,” Goldman said. “We have already moved manufacturing from our prototyping facility in Golden, CO, to a 220,000- square-foot assembly plant in Greenville, SC, to meet near term demand. This interim facility, with a three-year lease, is capable of producing more than 200 EcoRide™ buses per year.” Among the early adopter transit agencies helping get Proterra’s technology and buses moving forward has been California's Foothill Transit. The agency has acquired three EcoRide™ BE-35 buses and two FastFill™ chargers with options for nine more buses. According to Goldman, these vehicles allow Foothill Transit to be ahead of the impending CARB zero emissions bus requirement at a fraction of the cost of current trolley bus and fuel cell bus systems.

“Foothill Transit has been driving our vehicles in revenue service since September 2010 with remarkable efficiency and reliability, given the product’s pilot nature,” Goldman said. “The good news is that the federal government continues to provide funding for this type of project and the market continues to increase. Most importantly, however, is that Foothill Transit is driving electric buses everyday with passengers on them. “We are also now building buses for VIA Metropolitan Transit and StarMetro. Just as essential, Altoona testing is taking place on one of our buses. The goal is to have this testing completed by the first quarter of 2012.”

The days of thinking that electric bus technology can only serve niche markets may soon be over. At Proterra, officials see the EcoRide™ BE-35 as a viable mainstream transit option. “Any repeated route on a 2-hour/40-mile cycle can be well served by our product. We are also working on a longer range commuter version for the remaining rush hour routes,” Goldman said. “Thanks to on-route fast charging that fully recharges batteries in less time than a typical driver layover, we are able to provide safe, economical and zero emission buses. We also provide simple infrastructure benefits compared to competitive technologies.

“Maybe our niche is zero emissions, but our focus is moving passengers at an economical rate. We think this need is uniform across the world.” Proterra officials look forward to working with current and new customers to further demonstrate the adaptability of its products to a growing user base in a variety of climates and drive cycles. The company also announced in June that a recent investment of $30 million has taken place to accelerate the commercialization of Proterra’s fast-charge transit buses and charging system. The investment is being led by Silicon Valley venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), and also includes GM Ventures; Mitsui & Co., Ltd.; Vision Ridge Partners; and 88 Green Ventures, LLC.

This investment enables Proterra to complete critical federal validation testing of its bus, roll out additional pilot fleets and complete initiatives to significantly reduce costs and increase volume production at its Greenville plant. “We produced a handful of buses in 2009 and 2010, but expect our numbers to double this year and expand further in 2012,” Goldman said. “Proterra has an opportunity, within three years, to produce over 400 buses should the market continue to show itself. We will focus on increasing product reliability and efficiency, all the while growing our team and partnerships.

“Proterra continues to provide fuel cell buses for various federal research contracts, but our main focus is on the pure battery-powered bus. Battery technology has come along well enough to now be able to provide a true zero emissions bus, one that is both economically viable as well as environmentally sustainable. “This is the ‘rocket-to-the-moon’ moment for our generation as it pertains to sustainable mobility. We at Proterra feel very honored to be a part of this movement, and it’s exciting.”

Proterra Paves Way for Growth with $30M Investment

June 13, 2011

Proterra Paves Way for Growth With $30M Investment From Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, GM Ventures, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Vision Ridge Partners and 88 Green Ventures

Company to Ramp Production of Fast Charge Battery Electric Transit Buses and Charging Stations

Golden, Colorado – June 13, 2011– Proterra Inc(www.proterra.com), a leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, today announced an investment of $30 million to accelerate the commercialization of its world-leading, fast-charge battery electric transit buses and automated bus charging system. The investment is being led by Silicon Valley venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), and also includes GM Ventures, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Vision Ridge Partners and 88 Green Ventures, LLC.

“Our goal at Proterra is to fundamentally transform urban transit,” said Jeff Granato, Chief Executive Officer of Proterra, “The tremendous resources of Kleiner Perkins, leveraged with GM’s automotive expertise and the financial and technical strength of Mitsui, Vision Ridge and 88 Green Ventures gives us an enviable platform to compete and win in the electric transit bus market.”

Proterra’s 35 foot (10 meter) EcoRide BE35™ bus, in daily service at Foothill Transit in Pomona, CA since last September, will be rolling out to VIA Transit in San Antonio and Tallahassee StarMetro later this year. The whisper-quiet, emissions-free bus of tomorrow is completely recharged in under 10 minutes with Proterra’s FastFill^TM charging station resulting in a 1 for 1 replacement of diesel buses in service on routes today. Proterra’s lightweight, composite-body bus is a major advance in the transit industry, meeting the stated 2030 goals set by the Federal Transit Agency (FTA) for advanced technology buses nearly 20 years ahead of schedule. Providing significant operating cost savings for its customers, the EcoRide is averaging close to 24 miles per gallon (diesel equivalent) in service, a more than 600% improvement over a typical diesel bus, which averages under 4 miles per gallon, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel cost savings.

"Electrification of public transportation has tremendous benefits to governments, municipalities and citizens by reducing the operating cost of transit, while also eliminating local air pollution and reducing C0₂ per passenger mile in the industry,” said Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President and Partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

This investment enables Proterra to complete critical federal validation testing of its bus, roll out additional pilot fleets and complete initiatives to significantly reduce costs and increase volume production at its Greenville, South Carolina manufacturing plant, which will have a capacity to produce 400 buses annually. The bus has more than 80% U.S. content from 33 states, and will create approximately 2,400 jobs nationwide by 2015.

Proterra has also strengthened its board by electing a manufacturing industry veteran, David Lehmann, as its new chairman. Mr. Lehmann is a seasoned multinational business executive and has successfully built businesses with $2 billion annual sales. He has conducted business in 28 countries for firms such as General Electric Co., Caterpillar and Solar Turbines Inc. Michael Linse, a partner at KPCB, has also joined the board.

Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses. Its ground up designs have led to the EcoRide BE-35, the world’s full size 10 minute charge transit bus that replaces conventional diesel buses on a one-for-one basis operating 24/7. Paired with the EcoRide BE-35 is Proterra’s proprietary FastFill™ charging station that docks the bus automatically and fast charges through a rooftop connection. The EcoRide BE-35 achieves about 24 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers – 600% better than a comparable diesel bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology please visit: www.proterra.com

Winning the future, Proterra style

January 29, 2011

January 28, 2011

Winning the future, Proterra style

Plus, Proterra's evolution into a manufacturer has generated ripple effects across the country. Proterra's buses use bus charging station components built by Aerovironment in Monrovia, California. They also feature lithium batteries produced by Altairnano in Reno, Nevada, and propulsion systems manufactured by UQM in Longmont, Colorado.

“We expect Proterra to become a significant customer for our electric propulsion systems over the next several years as they ramp up their delivery of buses, resulting in the creation of jobs at our Longmont facility,” said , UQM President and CEO Eric Ridenour.

One of Proterra's good jobs went to Julie Shepherd. Julie is a single mother--I also met her delightful daughter Autumn--and yesterday she told me one of those stories that make me so proud of the Department of Transportation and make all of us so proud to live in America.

Prior to coming to work at Proterra, Julie worked at a local BMW plant, but she was laid-off twice and was really struggling to make ends meet. Then she was hired by Proterra and trained in their Colorado headquarters.

Today, Julie is a team leader for 15 other Proterra employees on five bus component assembly stations in the Greenville plant. She has begun saving for Autumn's education. And thanks to the financial security of her new job, she recently bought her family's first house.

"I have a lot of friends who are very excited about Proterra being here," said Julie. "Everybody’s really excited about what we’re doing. When that first bus rolled out the door, we all ran out just to watch it."

Dale Hill, Founder and CTO; Jeff Granato, CEO; Autumn; me; Julie; Bharat Dave, COO; Peter Rogoff; Marc Gottschalk, Chief Business Development Officer and General Counsel

The Proterra story isn’t just about how government can deliver the extra little boost to help an entrepreneur turn a bold idea into a transformational product. It's about ordinary Americans dreaming big and building big.

By rolling off the line the world's first fast-charge all-electric transit buses with more American-made parts and materials than any other bus in service, Proterra and its more than 120 Greenville workers have certainly built big.

With its plans for a new manufacturing plant, we know that Proterra's big dreaming hasn't stopped. Founder Dale Hill expects Proterra to reach 350 workers by year-end and 1,300 by 2015: "If we are good stewards of the opportunity that's been given to us, we can become one of the leading bus manufacturers in the world."

As President Obama said, there's a future to win; Proterra has already gotten started

Recovery Act support brings jobs to Greenville, SC

December 22, 2010

Recovery Act support brings jobs to Greenville, SC;
Electric bus rolls off assembly line into transit service

Thanks in part to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants, 112 Greenville, SC, workers are grateful this season for the best of gifts in these economic times: jobs in a growth industry.

Over the last few years, DOT has invested in cutting-edge research to help put a new generation of clean, fuel-efficient, zero-emission buses on our streets. And I’m very excited to see those investments are paying off--and generating many new green jobs in the process.

Earlier this month, the world’s first battery-powered electric bus--fully chargable in only 10 minutes!--rolled off the new assembly line at Proterra, Inc.’s expanded manufacturing facility in Greenville.

The Proterra crew celebrates the first EcoRide BE-35

As a result of Proterra's success, many Greenville area residents are now fully employed at the plant. And with more than 80 buses still in the works, and inquiries pouring in from many domestic and international transit agencies, Proterra is ready to ramp up production. A second assembly line will begin operation in 2011 at a larger facility currently under construction at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research.

This “made in America” success story is rippling literally across the country. Foothill Transit, serving the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, is using a $6.6 million Recovery Act grant to put Proterra’s new Ecoliner into service, the first transit agency in the country to do so.

Foothill Transit passengers now enjoy a clean, quiet, comfortable ride. Even area residents who don’t ride transit benefit from the zero-emissions buses. And there’s more work for folks living in this economically distressed community, as charging stations are built, installed, and maintained to keep these buses running.

The ripple effect doesn’t stop there. With a $118 million Recovery Act grant, Aerovironment, Inc., which makes key components for Proterra’s fast-charging stations, has been able to expand its American manufacturing capabilities in this rapidly growing green industry. And Energetx in Holland, Michigan, has also gained jobs as a key supplier.

Proterra CEO Jeff Granato addresses Greenville, SC, workers

Now, while this green economic activity is a terrific development, it may not have happened as quickly had it not been for our Federal Transit Administration’s National Fuel Cell Bus Program. Back in August, 2009, FTA awarded a three-year, $450,000 grant to the Center for Transportation and the Environment in Atlanta to test Proterra’s fuel cell technology.

New jobs, cleaner air, and greater mobility--the lesson is crystal clear. When our government invests in American innovation and taps into our collective ingenuity, we reap the rewards in the form of economic growth and home-grown solutions to our most pressing energy and transportation challenges.

Proterra completing move to Greenville

September 23, 2010

Proterra Inc. expects to ship its first made-in-Greenville electric bus on Oct. 15 to Fort Lewis, Wash.

The company plans to build eight buses at its temporary facility on Whitlee Court this year, and 80 buses there in 2011. The buses arrive at the facility as empty shells and each one takes about 14 weeks to assemble. Right now, five are on the assembly line.

Proterra provided the first group tour of the facility today to students at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, where Proterra ultimately will locate its permanent assembly facility that could employ around 1,300 people.

Students rode on one of Proterra’s zero-emissions, electric buses from CU-ICAR to Proterra’s plant. No pictures were allowed in the facility. The bus is being delivered to Foothill Transit in California and is one of the last buses Proterra built in Colorado, said Westy Bowen, vice president of integrated supply.

“We are a Greenville company,” he said. “No more buses are being manufactured in Colorado.”

Proterra will bring research and development and charging station production to the temporary Greenville location, as well. Currently, 34 people work there, including managers, assembly workers and engineers. Production at the temporary location began July 19.

Bowen said construction of the facility at CU-ICAR is expected to begin this year and take 12 to 18 months to complete. Proterra hired Context Design Group of Greenville to design the facility, he said, and will seek to hire a local contractor to lead construction once designs are complete.

Proterra Gives Greenville Preview Of Electric Bus

September 22, 2010

Quick-Charge Electric Bus Rolls Into L.A. County

September 14, 2010

Proterra sells electric buses, fast-chargers to Foothill Transit [w/video]

September 11, 2010

First Fast Charging EV Bus Hits Road

September 08, 2010

If you live in the West Covina, California, and commute via Foothill Transit’s Line 291, which travels between La Verne and Pomona, you’ll soon be doing so on an “Ecoliner, which is said to be the “the world’s first heavy duty, fast charging electric bus.”

Proterra Launches First Deployment of All-Electric, Zero-Emission Buses by Major Transit Agency

September 02, 2010

Leading Heavy-Duty EV Bus Manufacturer Provides Cost Effective, Comfortable Green Commercial Transit Solutions to Southern Californians

Golden, Colo. – August 31, 2010 – Proterra Inc, a leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, today announced the first major deployment of its EcoRide BE35™ zero-emission, fast-charge battery-electric transit buses by Foothill Transit, a premier public transport provider that operates bus services in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, located in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. On Sep. 3, Foothill Transit will launch the Proterra EcoRide BE35™ buses and related fast charging stations into its existing bus fleet and transit routes with the goal of establishing a full fleet of clean-fueled vehicles by 2011.

“The first commercial deployment of Proterra’s battery-electric buses by a major transit agency like Foothill Transit is a significant milestone for Proterra and a bold step by the nation in our collective effort to decrease dependence on fossil fuel,” Proterra President and CEO Jeffery Granato said. “We look forward to additional communities throughout the U.S. and globally benefitting from the highly efficient, cost effective, clean alternative transit solution now available with the introduction of the EcoRide BE35™.”

The deployment of Proterra’s EcoRide BE35™ buses, known as the “Ecoliner” by Foothill Transit, greatly advances the electric transit industry, providing a real-world example of the benefits and ease of deployment of Proterra’s zero emission buses and charging solutions. It further demonstrates transit agencies’ existing appetite for cleaner commuting options. In addition to its unmatched performance and overall cost savings, Proterra’s clean transit solutions offers California transit agencies solutions to address the Zero Emission Bus (Zbus) regulation, which requires large California agencies to purchase 15 percent of their annual bus orders as zero emission buses starting in 2012.

Proterra’s EcoRide BE35™ buses are unlike any conventional or hybrid-electric passenger bus available on the market today. The bus significantly reduces air and noise pollution for riders and local communities, while dramatically reducing vehicle operation costs for transit agencies. The EcoRide BE35™ contains all electric components, including an electric drive motor supplied by UQM that allows greater acceleration than that of a conventional bus, combined with leading technology solutions that allow for a quiet and smooth uninterrupted ride. With up to three hours of operation and the ability to recharge in less than 10 minutes on route, Proterra’s buses can easily be incorporated into any transit agencies’ existing routes without impacting their schedules or routes while delivering a quieter, more comfortable experience to riders. Additionally, without the maintenance or fuel costs associated with conventional buses, the Proterra BE35™ achieves a 400 percent improvement in fuel economy, and greater than $300,000 savings in total lifetime operating expenses.

About Proterra Inc.

Proterra is answering the international call for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible heavy-duty vehicle solutions. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast charging stations. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses and Class 6-8 trucks. Proterra’s initial products, a 35’ battery-electric transit bus and on-route fast charging station, have been designed from the ground up to enable a world’s first ever solution for transit agencies to replace conventional diesel buses on a one-for-one basis with all-electric buses operating 24/7. This is accomplished by combining Proterra’s light-weight composite body, highly efficient ProDriveTM, advanced TerraVoltTM energy storage system and on-route rooftop FastChargingTM station to charge the bus in 5-10 minutes. The vehicle achieves between 18 and 29 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers – 500% better than a comparable diesel bus.

Electric Cars? What About Trucks and Buses?

August 03, 2010

Silicon Valley Cleantech Heavyweight Joins Proterra

June 16, 2010

Superlawyer’ Marc Gottschalk Strengthens Executive Team at Heavy-Duty EV Manufacturer; Accelerates Development of Company’s Transit Bus Business

Golden, Colo. – June 16, 2010 – Proterra Inc. (www.proterra.com), a leading maker of clean commercial transit solutions including zero-emission city buses, today announced that Marc Gottschalk, co-chair of the Energy and Clean Technology practice at Silicon Valley powerhouse law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati (WSGR), has joined the company as Chief Business Development Officer and General Counsel.

Proterra is a Colorado-based manufacturer of zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicle systems and its groundbreaking, fast-charge, battery electric transit bus, the EcoRide. Mr. Gottschalk, named a California Superlawyer by Law and Politics Magazine from 2006-2010, is one of a small inner circle in Silicon Valley who pioneered the US cleantech sector and helped shape it into a new driver for global innovation and economic growth. WSGR’s cleantech practice has helped dozens of innovative cleantech companies, including Proterra, go to market since 2003. Mr. Gottschalk is also a cofounder of the Cleantech Open, the world leading organization that provides all the resources inventors and entrepreneurs need to take their cleantech innovations from concept to operating business.

Mr. Gottschalk will remain as a California-based advisor to WSGR and will also remain on the board of the Cleantech Open.

“When viewed through my decade of cleantech experience, it is clear that Proterra has stand-out technology, management and market potential. I look forward to helping make their transformational, cost saving, zero emission bus the standard at transit agencies around the world,” said Mr. Gottschalk. “My work building a leading cleantech practice at WSGR has granted me unrivaled insight into how to help Proterra accomplish our business mission.”

“Marc is a vital addition to what is already our world-class team,” said Jeffery Granato, President and CEO of Proterra. “He has been giving us great business advice as our lawyer for a number of years and now we get his full attention and enthusiasm at a very important time in the company’s growth.”

Proterra is answering the international call for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible heavy-duty vehicle solutions. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems and transit buses. Proterra’s systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses and Class 6-8 trucks. Proterra’s initial product, a 35’ all-electric transit bus, has been designed from the ground up to enable a world’s first ever solution for transit agencies to replace convention diesel buses on a one-for-one basis with all-electric buses operating 24/7. This is accomplished by combining Proterra’s light-weight composite body, highly efficient ProDriveTM, advanced TerraVoltTM energy storage system and on-route rooftop FastChargingTM station to charge the bus in 5-10 minutes. The vehicle achieves between 18 and 29 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers – 500% better than a comparable diesel bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology please visit: www.proterra.com

Proterra founder Dale Hill: electric bus charges, discharges on San Francisco hills

June 15, 2010

Proterra receives $20M from cleantech investor

June 10, 2010

Proterra Nabs $20M to Build Green Bus Plant, Sway Policy

June 09, 2010

MK Energy and Infrastructure invests $20 million in EV maker Proterra

June 09, 2010

Proterra gets $20M investment to support S.C. plant construction

June 09, 2010

Heavy-Duty EV Manufacturer Proterra Gets $20 Million in Funding from MK Energy and Infrastructure

June 09, 2010

Market Leader in Zero Emission Transit Buses Will Use Funds to Create Jobs at New South Carolina Facility, Help Municipalities Reduce Fuel Costs and Dependence on Oil

GOLDEN, Colo., June 9, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Proterra Inc, a leading maker of clean commercial transit solutions including zero emission city buses, today announced $20 million in funding from cleantech investor, MK Energy and Infrastructure, LLC (MK E+I). The money will fund Proterra's efforts to provide cleaner and more economical public transportation options to transit agencies in the United States and internationally.

MK E+I's investment in Proterra will accelerate its construction of Proterra's first full-scale manufacturing plant in Greenville, S.C., which will break ground later this year and have capacity to make 2,500 EcoRide BE-35 buses annually and employ 1,300 workers over the next five years. Funds will also be used to advance Proterra's clean technology research and to promote policies in support of clean commuting.

"Our partnership with MK E+I will help us bring new jobs to Greenville and environmentally friendly buses to transit agencies and communities around the world, allowing them to slash fuel costs and significantly reduce noise and air pollution," Proterra President and CEO Jeffery Granato said. "MK E+I provides strategic experience to Proterra as we grow in the United States and look at global expansion. Together we will drive the transit industry into the next era of clean commuting."

At the Greenville plant, Proterra will manufacture its leading transit bus, the EcoRide BE-35, a patented, zero emission, fast-charge, battery-electric transit bus that replaces traditional diesel buses. The EcoRide BE-35 achieves 500% greater fuel efficiency than conventional diesel buses and more than 400% greater efficiency than the most advanced hybrid transit buses traveling the roads today, according to the Federal Transit Administration sponsored Altoona, Pennsylvania Bus Testing Center. Over a 12-year lifecycle, Proterra buses will save an average of $400,000 per bus in fuel costs as compared to a conventional diesel bus and almost $300,000 when compared to advanced hybrid buses. The neighborhood friendly EcoRide BE-35 reduces noise pollution to a fraction of that produced by today's traditional diesel buses. Moreover, if every diesel transit bus in the United States were replaced with an EcoRide BE-35, it would reduce consumption of fossil fuels by approximately 493 Million gallons per year - more than the amount consumed each year by every single car in the state of Colorado or South Carolina.

"The performance of Proterra's vehicles, combined with the results of our comprehensive analysis of Proterra's innovative energy storage, drive and related vehicle platforms, made the investment decision easy," said Ignacio Iribarren, managing director of MK E+I. "Our goal is to help Proterra vehicles become the standard in the United States and, eventually, in Europe and Latin America."

Proterra is answering the international call for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible heavy-duty vehicle solutions. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty drive and energy storage systems, vehicle control systems and complete transit buses. Proterra's systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses and Class 6-8 trucks. Proterra's initial product, a 35' battery-electric transit bus, has been designed from the ground up to enable a world's first ever solution for transit agencies to replace conventional diesel buses on a one-for-one basis with all-electric buses operating 24/7. This is accomplished by combining Proterra's light-weight composite body, highly efficient ProDrive(TM), advanced TerraVolt(TM) energy storage system and on-route rooftop FastCharging(TM) station to charge the bus in 5-10 minutes. The vehicle achieves between 18 and 29 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers - 500% better than a comparable diesel bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology please visit: www.proterra.com

MK Energy and Infrastructure (MK E+I) was established by The Michael Kenwood Group, LLC in July 2009 to develop business opportunities in proprietary infrastructure assets, advanced stage clean energy technology, and late stage development and operating renewable energy projects and infrastructure, both in OECD countries and in emerging markets. For more information on MK Energy and Infrastructure please visit www.mkenergyandinfrastructure.com

Proterra Electric Bus Getting 20mpg(e) in Tests

May 17, 2010

Hydrogen hybrid bus ferried people at Winter Olympics

May 12, 2010

Altairnano Batteries Make Proterra A Magic Bus

November 04, 2009

Fuel Cell Hybrid-Powered bus visits DOT headquarters

October 27, 2009

The Ideal Urban Bus

October 16, 2009

Proterra selected for U.S. Department of Defense Hydrogen Infrastructure Pilot Project

July 09, 2009

Center for Transportation & the Environment Secures Proterra’s Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus for High Profile Pilot Project

GOLDEN, CO, JULY 9, 2009 –Proterra LLC, the pioneering innovator and manufacturer of zero emission commercial transportation solutions from city transit buses to class 4-8 trucks, today announced its role in a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) pilot project designed to test an end-to-end clean hydrogen energy cycle. Proterra’s bus will be used as part of the pilot to demonstrate the economic, operational and environmental benefits of fuel cell technology in a full sized transit bus. Led by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), the pilot project will include all elements of a clean hydrogen energy cycle, from local hydrogen generation to bulk hydrogen storage to hydrogen load in the form of fuel-cell powered forklifts and Proterra’s fuel cell powered bus.

Proterra’s plug-in, battery-electric bus with hydrogen fuel cell range extension will play a key role in the two-year long pilot, and will be used to transport tens of thousands of staff between Ft. Lewis and McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. Allowing for significant cost and environmental benefits, Proterra’s revolutionary TerraVoltTM Energy Storage technology can be completely charged in under 10 minutes, representing a dramatic improvement in the industry.

The project will include the historic testing of an end-to-end clean hydrogen energy cycle, including: A renewable energy supply in the form of recovered waste water treatment plant digester gas, Local hydrogen generation via digester gas cleanup and reformation, Bulk hydrogen storage, transport, and dispensing; and Hydrogen load in the form of 19 fuel cell-powered electric forklifts and Proterra’s 35’ shuttle bus. Proterra joins highly respected leaders in emerging clean technology for the Ft. Lewis pilot, including Gas Technology Institute, Plug Power, and Air Products and Chemicals. The project is the third in a series of Defense Logistics Agency pilots designed to provide the Department of Defense with the technical and business case data it needs to support its plans for hydrogen infrastructure, enabling the achievement of its Energy Policy Act (EPACT 2005) objectives.

“We are honored to be involved in the Department of Defense pilot at Ft. Lewis, particularly as it will study all elements of a clean hydrogen energy cycle from energy supply and generation to storage, to its ultimate use to power zero emissions transit,” said Jeff Granato, CEO, Proterra. “The lessons learned from this project will not only help the DoD meet its long term environmental and economic demands, it will also provide much needed insights to federal and state governments looking for long-lasting clean energy solutions.”

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) organization that develops technologies and implements solutions to achieve energy and environmental sustainability. Since its founding in 1993, CTE has managed a portfolio of over $110 million in federal, state, and local cost-shared research, development, and demonstration projects involving more than 450 organizations in the advanced transportation technology field. CTE has facilitated and leveraged funding for its projects and initiatives from the U.S.

Answering the international call for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible transit solutions, Colorado based Porterra has been designing and manufacturing the world's most efficient commercial vehicle technologies since 2004. With hybrid and battery-electric buses that are built from the ground-up in Colorado, Proterra has patented clean transit technology serving the commercial sector with solutions for city transit buses to class 4-8 trucks.

Burbank Bus’s Innovative Fuel Cell Bus

April 30, 2009

Proterra Promotes a Lightweight Bus Design, Allows Operators to Opt Out of Engine Entirely

February 23, 2009

New all-electric passenger bus technology debuts

February 06, 2009

Green Bus Manufacturer Working to Set Up in San Jose

February 06, 2009

Too Much! The Electric Bus!

February 06, 2009

Proterra LLC Introduces HFC35 Alternative-Fuel Transit Bus

October 02, 2008

Rising Fuel Costs and Economic Woes Spur Interest In Efficient, Clean Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Proterra LLC is showcasing the prototype of its new HFC35, a 35’ composite body, zero emissions, battery-dominant hybrid-electric transit bus at the 2008 APTA Expo, in San Diego, CA, October 5th-8th. This advanced bus is designed to accommodate a variety of auxiliary power units (APU’s) including diesel, gasoline and CNG; the bus featured at the APTA Expo will employ two Hydrogenics 16 kW hydrogen fuel cell APU’s and a UQM® PowerPhase® 150 electric propulsion system. The APTA Expo will be the first public opportunity to view this revolutionary vehicle.

Proterra developed the HFC35 hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric bus with funding from the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) National Fuel Cell Bus Program. Designed and built in America, this is the first-ever ground-up design of a light-weight, energy-efficient, alternative-fuel hybrid transit bus. "This vehicle truly represents a major leap forward in public transit," said Dale Hill, Proterra’s CEO. "Instead of retrofitting a conventional diesel bus, we have a revolutionary ground-up design. This vehicle's tailpipe produces only pure water as its propulsion system's byproduct. It provides the most cost-effective path for hydrogen-fueled zero-emission buses."

The TerraVolt™ fast-charging energy storage system, including proprietary battery modules, battery management and energy optimization systems, is among the most innovative features of the HFC35. Designed and integrated right into Proterra's composite body floor system, the TerraVolt™ system can be recharged by either using a Proterra rapid charge station for only minutes at route layovers, by plugging in overnight, or during operation from any form of APU. TerraVolt™ also has the ability to solely power a full battery-electric transit bus. This unique energy storage system is good for 10,000 total discharge cycles (estimated to last the life of the bus). Vehicle operators can realize up to $350,000 savings in total fuel expense savings over the 12-year life of the bus as compared to a conventional diesel bus. The all-composite vehicle body is 34' 9" in length and seats 37 passengers.

"Transit officials across America are struggling with the challenge of meeting new emissions standards while facing higher fuel costs on smaller budgets," said Jeff Granato, Proterra's president. "Our line of hybrid and battery-electric buses are the solution – they are both economical and earth-friendly. Finally, a solution that brings significant cost savings in the purchase and operation of an advanced zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell bus."

In addition to the FTA, Proterra is grateful to a number of other vendors and suppliers for their support in the development and construction of this prototype. Among them (in alphabetical order) are:

The prototype on display at Expo will be completed and expected to be put into service in the First Quarter of 2009 on a FTA-sponsored nationwide trial starting in Columbia, South Carolina.

Mobile Energy Solutions, LLC changes name to Proterra

June 24, 2008

Advanced technology vehicle manufacturer Mobile Energy Solutions, LLC, announced today that the company's name is changing to Proterra. Proterra means 'for the earth' in Latin, which addresses the company's customers' needs for clean energy transportation and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.

Based in Golden, Colorado, Proterra manufactures the world's first hybrid- and all-electric, all-composite body transit vehicles built from the ground up to offer dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency while generating ultra-low or no emissions. Proterra offers all-battery and battery dominant vehicles using an array of auxiliary power units, including bio-diesel, gasoline, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen fuel cells.

"Proterra's mission is producing the world's most energy efficient transit vehicles while offering the lowest lifetime cost of ownership," said President Jeff Granato. "Our vehicles are the right choice for these times of skyrocketing fuel costs and economic uncertainty.

The company was founded in 2004 by the principals who designed, engineered and manufactured the 36 EcoMark 1, 45' CNG-fueled hybrid-electric shuttle buses built for Denver's 16th St. Mall. These buses are now in their eighth year of revenue service, and have carried over 130 million passengers. Dale Hill, Proterra's Chief Executive Officer, added, "The EcoMark buses produce only a fraction of the pollution of a comparably sized conventional bus while carrying twice as many passengers. This fleet continues to be the largest and most successful alternative fueled hybrid vehicle electric bus fleet in the world."

Joshua Goldman Joins Mobile Energy Solutions As Director of Business Development

April 25, 2008

Mobile Energy Solutions, LLC., is proud to welcome Joshua J. Goldman as Director of Business Development. Joshua comes to Mobile Energy Solutions with over 10 years of experience with electric and hybrid-electric drive systems.

"Joshua will provide key contributions to our marketing and expansion of our business relationships, particularly in the areas of mass public transportation, school bus transportation, port goods movement and shuttle bus services," said Dale Hill, CEO of Mobile Energy Solutions. "We are delighted to have him on board."

Well known in the industry for his role in the development of gasoline hybrid transit buses, Joshua is a leading technology expert in the transit hybrid-electric field. For seven years Joshua was employed by ISE Corp., serving in various capacities including Manager of Engine Development for hybrid applications, Manager of Technical Training and Manager of Heavy Duty Certifications. He is a member of numerous APTA, SAE, FTA and CARB committees, including vice chair for the APTA Clean Propulsion Committee, and has published papers for and spoken at numerous EVS, APTA and SAE events.

Proterra Brings Future of Green Commercial Transit To California Cities With Zero Emission Clean Bus

February 06, 2008

San Jose, CA - Proterra, the leading innovator and manufacturer of clean commercial transit solutions from city transit buses to class 4-8 trucks, kicked-off its first ever California Clean Bus Tour in San Jose with the unveiling of its zero emission fast-charge battery-electric transit bus. The EcoRide BE35 is designed to help communities significantly reduce air and noise pollution while dramatically reducing vehicle operating costs.

After the initial launch in San Jose, Proterra will make stops in selected California cities including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco. Proterra will be meeting with energy, environmental, and municipal stakeholders as it introduces its clean transit solutions to help the state meet its emission reduction goals. The EcoRide BE35 results in up to a 400 percent improvement in fuel economy, and up to $310,000 savings in total lifetime fuel expenses as compared to a conventional diesel bus and over $15 million in savings for a transit bus fleet of 50.

"The fact is, emissions free transit is not a 'nice to have,' it is a must have for clean, healthy communities across California and the U.S.," said Dale Hill, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Proterra. "That is why we're thrilled to bring our clean transit solutions to California - where transit agencies need an economical solution available today to make progress toward recent emissions standards passed by the California Air Resources Board."

Built from the ground-up as a battery-electric zero emission transit vehicle in Colorado, Proterra's transit solution boasts innovative advancements that significantly reduce the lifetime cost of ownership including:

TerraVolt™ Energy Storage System - the industry's only system that can be fully charged in less than 10 minutes; and the longest lasting energy storage system available for heavy duty applications; Flexible ProDrive™ and vehicle control system that can operate in battery-electric mode or with any small auxiliary power unit (APU) to extend vehicle range when needed; All-electric components optimized through vehicle management systems to rduce energy usage throughout the vehicle's operating cycle; Regenerative braking system utilizing the UQM PowerPhase 150 that enables the EcoRide BE35 to recapture over 90% of the vehicle’s kinetic energy available during braking; andSophisticated battery management system operates at the 'cell' level to optimize energy efficiency and system life.

Proterra's focus on the California market is directly related to the state's high pollution levels, much of which are tracked back to diesel engines. The Clean Air Task Force notes that by reducing diesel fine particle emissions 50 percent by 2010, 75 percent by 2015, and 85 percent by 2020 would save nearly 100,000 American lives between now and 2030.

"California is a high priority for Proterra since five of the top 10 most polluted cities in America are located there, according to the American Lung Association’s 2008 State of the Air Report," said Jeff Granato, President and CEO, Proterra. "The solution is in our hands to help cities reduce air and noise pollution, and the state and federal policies are also in place to begin to take clean commuting from a vision to a reality in 2009. We’re excited to introduce the EcoRide BE35 to California as an immediate next step transit agencies can take to achieve emissions free transit."

Grant will pay for greener buses; Three infusions of money will help the city upgrade and improve it

June 27, 2007

AIRPORT DISTRICT - Burbank Bus will receive more than $3 million in transportation grants to replace older vehicles, add two new buses and integrate a new hybrid-electric fuel cell bus into the fleet.

Grant funding has partly fueled the growth of Burbank's bus system, which has seen route expansion and significant ridership increases in recent years, transportation manager Andrew Carrasco said.

And given the amount of transportation funding available to municipalities, Burbank has enjoyed a generous portion from agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - to fund fleet expansion - and the California Air Resources Board - to fund experimental vehicles that run on alternative fuels, he said.

"It's significant over a number of categories," Carrasco said. "Obviously, not every city gets their proposal accepted; we've been really fortunate - we're hitting essentially three out of three this season."

The first grant, $210,000 from Metro, will allow Burbank Bus to replace five of its vehicles, cycling older ones out of the fleet, he said.

The second installment, a $649,000 Metro grant, will allow Burbank Bus to purchase two brand new buses, Carrasco said.

Proceeds from a third grant of $1.3 million from the Air Resources Board will go toward a fuel cell bus, a vehicle that is primarily battery-powered and relies fuel-cell technology, he said.

"It holds the same amount of passengers as a 40-foot bus, but it's only 35-feet long because it's got no engine compartment," he said. "It's all electricity, essentially, and the hydrogen fuel cell creates more electricity to power the batteries."

The hybrid buses will also meet Americans with Disability Act requirements and offer wireless Internet access on board, he added.

Advancements like these reflect how far Burbank Bus has come since its inception, City Manager Mary Alvord said.

The line's first service included sending a cab company to shuttle disabled residents to doctor's appointments, she said.

"We would have situations when a cab would take them, say, to downtown Los Angeles and then just leave them," she said.

But as the system grew into a full-scale bus line with five routes, its reach in the community has provided a valuable alternative to car travel, Alvord said.

"I think it's got to keep growing," she said. "All you have to do is look at our freeways and the madness of people sitting on freeways. Eventually you have to start to look at alternative modes of transportation."

FTA Awards $5.67 Million to Demonstrate Economical Hybrid-Electric Fuel Cell Bus

October 13, 2006

Mobile Energy Solutions, LLC is pleased to announce that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has selected its integrated product development team to demonstrate an advanced hybrid-electric hydrogen fuel cell bus in Alabama, Connecticut, and South Carolina. The project, valued at $13.1 million, will achieve significant progress toward the FTA's 2015 Goals for the National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP) over the next four years. Leveraging the federal investment, the team is providing over 50% cost match to complete the program.

Funding for the multimillion dollar NFCBP was made possible through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) which was made public law on August 10, 2005. The U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over the critical transportation reauthorization and was instrumental in ensuring transportation related program funding would be available through SAFETEA-LU. The committee is chaired by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL).

In an official announcement, FTA Administrator James Simpson said "By funding this program, Congress has allowed the transit industry to continue its long tradition as an innovator in the areas of alternative fuels and technology. Through this national program, we can consolidate - and accelerate - the process of making hydrogen buses commercially feasible as cleaner, more energy efficient alternatives". The FTA made the announcement October 12th in California.

The team is a diverse group of 16 organizations from private industry, education and the public sector representing seven states. All members of the team are members of the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) of Atlanta, Georgia who will manage the program for FTA. In addition to Mobile Energy Solutions, team members include Innovation Drive, Sabre Engineering, Hydrogenics Corporation, Nilar Corporation, Martin Marietta Composites Division, Birmingham Jefferson County Transit, University of Alabama Birmingham, Southern Clean Fuels, Connecticut DOT, CTTRANSIT, Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition, South Carolina Research Authority, University of South Carolina, Central Midlands RTA and the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition.

Mobile Energy Solutions of Golden, Colorado and their technology team, completed the baseline design of a composite bodied, battery-dominant, hybrid-electric hydrogen fuel cell bus utilizing automotive size fuel cells as part of a previous FTA-sponsored program. This technology specific vehicle will be powered exclusively by domestic energy sources; including hydrogen, grid-electricity, and renewable sources, such as wind, to further reduce conventional power source requirements.

Additionally, the demonstration buses, which will be manufactured by Mobile Energy Solutions at their new Golden Colorado facility, will produce no harmful emissions. Conventional transit buses are powered by diesel engines. Diesel emissions contain particulates that are known to cause asthma and other respiratory complications. Furthermore, particulates are believed to cause other problems, including heart disease and cancer. Diesel emissions cost the public hundred of millions of dollars annually in health care costs. These costs are compounded by other economic drains such as lost work days.

Mobile Energy Solutions, LLC, headquartered in Colorado, is a leading edge entrepreneurial company that consistently works "outside the box" in the emerging industry of high technology, ultra low emission, commercial, hybrid-electric, battery-powered and fuel cell vehicles. Founded in 2004, the principals designed, engineered and manufactured the 36 EcoMark I, 45' CNG-fueled hybrid-electric shuttle buses for the Denver 16th St. Mall which, in over six years of successful revenue service have transported 125,000,000 passengers at a daily rate of 65,000. Principals of Mobile Energy Solutions also have been involved in the design and manufacture of the Northrop/LACMTA ATTB Bus as well as the Americanization of the Irisbus Civis. For information, please visit www.mobileenergysolutions.com.

Top U.S. Transit Official Announces $49 Million in Federal Grants for Research to Make Commercially

October 12, 2006

Following a tour of SunLine Transit's Sunfuels Fueling Station in Thousand Palms, CA Federal Transit Administrator James Simpson and Congresswoman Mary Bono announced $49 million in federal grants for researchers around the country to explore new ways to make commercially viable hydrogen fuel cell buses a reality.

Three nonprofit organizations from around the country were competitively selected by the FTA to receive a share of the $49 million: the Center for Transportation and the Environment in Atlanta, the Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium in Boston and Westart/CALSTART of Pasadena, California.

"By funding this program, Congress has allowed the transit industry to continue its long tradition as an innovator in the areas of alternative fuels and technology," said FTA Administrator James Simpson. "Through this national program, we can consolidate - and accelerate - the process of making hydrogen buses commercially feasible as cleaner, more energy efficient alternatives".

Simpson said that Hydrogen fuel cell buses offer zero-emissions transportation in some of the nation's most congested corridors, reducing potential health risks to the general population. Also, transit officials expect that clean, quiet, energy-efficient transit buses will enhance the attractiveness of public transportation, lead to increased ridership, and move the nation toward energy independence.

As one of the champions for the new program Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-CA) stated "The expansion and use of fuel cell and hydrogen technology is a necessary and innovative step to significantly reduce dependency on foreign oil. Americans and Congress must continue to support legislation that strengthens any efforts to diversify our nation's energy portfolio."

Another champion for the program, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) said "Today, I welcome the progress that the FTA is making with the award of grants under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program. Fuel cells are an important enabling technology that has the potential to reduce America's dependency on fossil fuels. This program will help accelerate the successful commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell propulsion for the transportation industry."

Simpson noted that SunLine Transit, along with its research partners will receive $2.8 million to design and demonstrate 40-foot fuel cell buses, and to evaluate their performance in a hot desert climate. SunLine is also among those receiving $3.6 million to test the life expectancy of an existing line of fuel cell buses.

Another example on the East Coast includes the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA and with its research partners will receive $8.4 million for advanced bus development and in-service evaluation of hybrid fuel cell buses.

The multimillion dollar national grant announcement was made possible through the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program, which was part of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Colorado Company Building New Energy-Efficient Bus

February 21, 2006

DENVER - A small Colorado company is working on a way to fulfill President Bush's alternative energy agenda by designing the next generation, hydrogen-powered bus.

The engineers at Mobile Energy Solutions are hoping to complete the model soon for a new bus powered by batteries which would be re-charged with hydrogen fuel cells.

"We believe in this project," said Phil Sweesy, vice-president of Mobile Energy Solutions. "We really want to see it come to fruition. We think it will help the country, and it's important to us."

The engineers codenamed the project "Origin One" because the buses are designed from the ground up and are supposed to be more fuel-efficient, reliable and affordable.

One of the problems the engineers faced while building their prototype was heat from on-board batteries.

"We're looking at putting a water-cooling loop into these systems that we developed for the U.S. Air Force on their hybrid vehicle program," said Robert Schmitz from Sabre Engineering.

Despite the fact that Mobile Energy Solutions is a small company they designed and built RTD's Mall Shuttle, which became one of the most successful hybrid electric bus systems in the world.

"I told my wife last night that I've never been happier in my life than being a part, a small part, of changing an entire industry in the United States," said Dale Hill, CEO of Mobile Energy Solutions.

The assembly plan for the hydrogen buses is planned to possibly be on the Coors technology site in Golden. The first hydrogen powered bus is due to roll off the assembly line in spring of 2007.

Officials in New Haven, Conn., have already ordered two of the hydrogen-powered buses and negotiations are under way with seven other U.S. transit agencies and three foreign countries.

Proterra

Company News

Proterra Founder to speak at 2012 IEEE Electric Vehicle Conference

February 20, 2012

2012: The Year Ahead

January 13, 2012

Seneca aiming for more Proterra funds

February 14, 2012

Which Are Better: Electric Cars or Natural Gas Vehicles?

January 11, 2012

Proterra CEO Named Among Greenville’s 50 Most Influential People of 2011

January 03, 2012

Innovation and time drives down the green price tag

January 05, 2012

Proterra’s Goldman to Speak at EV Tech Symposium

January 03, 2012

Greenville again seeks aid to buy electric buses

November 28, 2011

A worker puts the final polishing to the windshield of the new bus. / KEN OSBURN/Staff

Seneca “Goes Green” with Proterra Buses

November 22, 2011

Officials May Buy Proterra Electric Buses

November 17, 2011

Proterra Inc. Featured on CBS Evening News

November 11, 2011

Proterra Exhibits at 46th CTA Fall Conference & Expo

October 29, 2011

Proterra Moves Shop, Converts More Buses and Lands on Leno’s Website

October 27, 2011

Proterra Secures $15 M Credit Facility with Silicon Valley Bank

October 25, 2011

Proterra Featured at The Battery Show

October 21, 2011

Proterra Featured at InnoMobility 2011

October 18, 2011

Proterra EcoRide Bus Featured on Jay Leno’s Garage

October 10, 2011

Proterra Introduces New CEO at 2011 APTA EXPO

October 03, 2011

Proterra Signs Contract with StarMetro

October 03, 2011

Proterra Fulfills its Mission as a Mode of Motion

October 01, 2011

Proterra’s “Bus Of Tomorrow”

September 12, 2011

Proterra Paves Way for Growth with $30M Investment

June 13, 2011

Winning the future, Proterra style

January 29, 2011

January 28, 2011

Winning the future, Proterra style

Recovery Act support brings jobs to Greenville, SC

December 22, 2010

December 22, 2010

Recovery Act support brings jobs to Greenville, SC; Electric bus rolls off assembly line into transit service

Proterra completing move to Greenville

September 23, 2010

Proterra Gives Greenville Preview Of Electric Bus

September 22, 2010

Federal Money Could Put Buses On Transit Authority Routes

Quick-Charge Electric Bus Rolls Into L.A. County

September 14, 2010

Proterra sells electric buses, fast-chargers to Foothill Transit [w/video]

September 11, 2010

First Fast Charging EV Bus Hits Road

September 08, 2010

Proterra Launches First Deployment of All-Electric, Zero-Emission Buses by Major Transit Agency

September 02, 2010

About Proterra Inc.

Electric Cars? What About Trucks and Buses?

August 03, 2010

Silicon Valley Cleantech Heavyweight Joins Proterra

June 16, 2010

Superlawyer’ Marc Gottschalk Strengthens Executive Team at Heavy-Duty EV Manufacturer; Accelerates Development of Company’s Transit Bus Business

Proterra founder Dale Hill: electric bus charges, discharges on San Francisco hills

June 15, 2010

Proterra receives $20M from cleantech investor

June 10, 2010

Proterra Nabs $20M to Build Green Bus Plant, Sway Policy

June 09, 2010

Recovery Act support brings jobs to Greenville, SC;
Electric bus rolls off assembly line into transit service