Motiv Power Systems Passes Industry-Leading Safety Testing on its All-Electric Technology
Motiv Power Systems puts the Electronic Stability Control System on its E-450 chassis to the test with the Transportation Research Center.
[Foster City, Calif., December 7] — The $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides significant funding to electrify and modernize transportation. Already ahead of the curve is sustainable technology company Motiv Power Systems. Focused on providing a seamless pathway to the electrification of medium-duty trucks and buses, the company today announced successful testing for the Electronic Stability Control System (ESC) on its EPIC4 platform. The Double Lane Change Handling test, conducted by the Transportation Research Center Inc (TRC Inc.), examined the use of automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help operators maintain control in critical or hazardous driving conditions. Motiv Power Systems EPIC4 is the first medium-duty class 4 electric vehicle (EV) to pass this type of validation, providing added safety to drivers and passengers of the many all-electric trucks and buses built using the Motiv EPIC4, including school buses.
Motiv’s EPIC4 school bus during the Double Lane Change Handling test.
As a broad-spectrum technology application, ESC plays a vital role in the future of EV safety. Vehicles equipped with this advanced technology can assist drivers on their daily routes during sudden turns or decelerations, which might otherwise cause roll-over or skidding due to loss of road traction.
”I’m proud of Motiv to lead the medium-duty EV industry in the adoption of this critical safety technology – electric vehicles should be held to the same or higher safety standards than their internal combustion alternatives,” said Jim Castelaz, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Motiv. “While it is an especially high-impact safety feature for those EPIC chassis built into school and shuttle buses and one more step in maximizing passenger safety, this technology also provides safety for pedestrians, bikers, and others nearby.”
In business for over 45 years, TRC Inc. has been North America’s most advanced, independent mobility testing service provider, fulfilling the complex engineering, research, evaluation and testing needs of the world’s leading transportation companies. Motiv working with TRC to achieve this milestone certification is the next step in furthering the company’s already mature technology.
The Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis® (EPIC) is Motiv’s family of battery-electric chassis built on proven OEM platforms like Ford’s E-450 and F-59. The EV technology on these chassis was the first all-electric system to receive Ford eQVM approval in 2017 and has since powered many vehicles, including school buses and delivery trucks. The last-mile operation and return-to-depot use case makes these vehicles a perfect candidate for electrification. Motiv’s technology is now in its fifth generation, packed with features and improvements based on their experience from real-world deployments over the past five years. To date, Motiv has over 1mil real-world electric miles through customers like USPS, Aramark, Cintas, and more. The ESC feature is expected to be available on the F-59 chassis configuration in 2022.
For more information on Motiv’s all-electric chassis, please visit https://www.motivps.com/
About Motiv Power Systems
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Motiv Power Systems delivers medium-duty class 4-6 commercial battery-electric trucks and buses, along with charging infrastructure and guidance for deploying commercial fleets. Specializing in step vans, shuttle buses, and box trucks, Motiv is a leading provider of daily-use zero-emission vehicles for moving people and moving goods that are the “backbone of urban commerce” with 98% uptime and intense customer-driven focus. The company’s solutions not only offer fleets up to 85% operations and maintenance cost savings but also provide operators and riders a healthier and more comfortable experience without polluting the communities they serve. For more information about the company’s products, services or career opportunities, please visit motivps.com.
Contact Info:
Technica Communications
Sarah Malpeli
408-806-9626 Ext. 6840
motiv@technicacommunications.com
