January 23, 2019

Motiv Power Systems to Offer BMW Batteries on Electric Chassis for Commercial Vehicles

FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems (Motiv), the leading provider of all-electric fleet chassis for trucks and buses, announced today a supply agreement with Munich based BMW to integrate BMW’s lithium-ion battery packs into its EPIC chassis.

Representing a strong vote of confidence by BMW AG, a leader in passenger car electrification, Motiv Power Systems now offers BMW’s latest (third) evolution of its lithium-ion battery packs on its all-electric EPIC chassis.

“When Motiv specs a battery for a chassis, we are looking for factors that matter most to our end users. These include initial cost, reliability over time, and end-of-life replacement costs,” said Jim Castelaz, Motiv’s Founder and CEO. “With BMW’s latest version of its lithium ion packs, commonly found on its all-electric i3 passenger cars, we were able to find a compelling battery solution that checks all those boxes. BMW’s lithium-ion batteries are well suited for use in commercial fleet vehicle deployments because they represent millions of real-world miles globally – meaning they have seen every potential road condition that Motiv-powered vehicles are likely to encounter – and have proven to be both dependable and reliable.”

“Our industrial clients welcome the usability of the ready-made technology that BMW i components provide, as well as their durability. All of this is evident in well over 100,000 BMW i model sales worldwide,” said Uwe Breitweg, Head of BMW Group Drive Systems for Industry Clients.

The BMW battery equipped EPIC chassis will be available across Motiv’s entire range of vehicle applications and will debut at the 2019 Work Truck Show.

About Motiv Power Systems
Founded in 2009, and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Motiv Power Systems is committed to freeing fleets from their dependence on fossil fuels. EPIC (Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis) are CARB certified, GSA approved, and available for many configurations including walk-in vans, box trucks, work trucks, shuttle buses, school buses, trolleys, and other specialty vehicles. An EPIC offers uncompromised performance and functionality without the pollution, noise, heat, and vibration of gasoline or diesel power. Motiv is a Ford eQVM-approved provider of all-electric chassis for commercial trucks and buses and benefits from engineering insights and support from Ford to ensure safety and reliability.  With more than 500,000 miles logged in Fortune 50 fleet deployments throughout North America, the EPIC family eliminates 100 percent of vehicle emissions, dramatically reduces operating and maintenance costs, and creates a healthier environment for riders and communities, while also reducing driver fatigue.