Motiv Power Systems Wins Popular Science’s 2014 Best of What’s New Award in Green Category
Named a winner for its innovative electric Powertrain Control System built for a wide range of electric trucks
FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems, the electric truck leader and top supplier of control systems to the growing electric truck market, is proud to announce that its electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) has been awarded a 2014 Best of What’s New Award in Green Technology from Popular Science. This award comes after a big year for Motiv, including deliveries of North America’sfirst and only all-electric garbage truck to the City of Chicago and the first production model all-electric school bus in the US. Motiv is backed by Magness Ventures and has received grant funding from the California Air Resources Board.
“For 27 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us – those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our view of what’s possible in the future,” said Cliff Ransom, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners – chosen from among thousands of entrants – each a revolution in its field.”
The basis for Motiv’s win is the ePCS, a single platform that can electrify any truck or bus chassis with a variety of commercially-available battery packs and motors that are upgradable over time. The ePCS is installed instead of an engine and transmission on new incomplete chassis such as the Ford E450, as a ship-through modification. This process, common in the truck industry, is similar to a Compressed Natural Gas ship-through modification and means minimal changes between the fossil fuel and electric versions of the final vehicle. Existing truck and bus builders who already use these incomplete chassis can build and sell electric versions of their existing truck and bus models. Motiv currently partners with Trans Tech Bus to provide the electric version of its Class-A school buses, Ameritrans Bus to provide an electric commercial shuttle bus and Cumberland Servicecenter to provide the 30-ton electric refuse trucks to the City of Chicago.
“We’re thrilled to see our technology recognized with such a prestigious award,” said Motiv Founder and CEO Jim Castelaz. “Both the challenge of electrifying the trucking industry and the market opportunities are quite large. We’ve accomplished some impressive milestones this year in our goal to help fleets reduce their emissions. This award affirms that we are on the right track.”
Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the year, breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their industries. Best of What’s New awards are presented in 12 categories: Aerospace, Automotive, Engineering, Entertainment, Gadgets, Green, Hardware, Health, Home, Recreation, Security and Software. The winners are awarded inclusion in the much-anticipated December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year.
About Motiv Power Systems
Founded in 2009 and based in Foster City, CA, Motiv Power Systems designs and builds electric Powertrain Control Systems (ePCS) for the commercial transportation industry. Truck and bus builders use the ePCS to create all-electric versions of existing vehicles types, such as box trucks, flat-/stake-bed trucks, refrigerated trucks, utility/service trucks, shuttle buses, school buses, delivery vehicles and refuse trucks. For more information, please visit www.motivps.com
About Popular Science
Founded in 1872, Popular Science is the world’s largest science and technology magazine; with a circulation of 1.3 million and 6.8 million monthly readers. Each month, Popular Science reports on the intersection of science and everyday life, with an eye toward what’s new and why it matters. Popular Science is published by Bonnier Active Media, a subsidiary of Bonnier Corporation.
