FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems (Motiv), the leading provider of all-electric medium duty fleet chassis, today announced a commitment from Detroit Custom Chassis LLC (DCC) to install Motiv’s all-electric EPIC® chassis on the base Ford F-59 platform, which is assembled by its affiliate Detroit Chassis Plant (DCP), both owned by Spectra. Assembly of Motiv’s EPIC chassis at DCP enables more efficient and cost effective production and reduced build times to meet growing customer demands for zero emission commercial truck offerings.

As a Ford eQVM certified producer, Motiv worked with Detroit Custom Chassis to optimize production requirements of the electric EPIC chassis to enable it to seamlessly slot into the same assembly lines producing internal combustion engine-powered chassis.

As a Ford eQVM certified producer, Motiv worked with DCC to optimize production requirements of the EPIC chassis to enable it to seamlessly slot into the same assembly lines producing internal combustion engine-powered chassis.

“DCP has long served as the production facility for Ford’s F-59 commercial truck chassis. Since a number of our EPIC chassis variants are based on Ford’s F-59, it made perfect sense to implement an OEM build process that closely mirrors the one used by Ford themselves,” said Matt O’Leary, Motiv’s CEO. “With the scale we are focused on achieving in order to meet market demand, this represents a significant step forward for Motiv.”

Production is already underway at DCP, which has capacity to build up to 90,000 chassis a year at its 220,000 square/foot assembly plant on 33 acres in Detroit, Michigan.

“Detroit Chassis has been in high-level strategic discussions with Motiv going back to 2012 and planning for the F-59 rollout accelerated in 2018. We are excited to now finally be able to showcase the Motiv EPIC chassis rolling out of our facility,” said Michael Guthrie, co-chairman and CEO of DCP. “We couldn’t be happier to see Motiv take a leadership position as the first EV commercial chassis produced by our facility. We expect that over time, electric chassis will sell in similar and, eventually, even greater numbers than gasoline and diesel-powered equivalents. It was a natural fit for DCP to be in the forefront of that market shift.”

The first customer deliveries of Motiv Epic chassis originating from DCC are expected in the first quarter 2019.

About Motiv Power Systems
Founded in 2009, and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Motiv Power Systems, a leading provider of software and technology to electrify medium duty commercial vehicles, is committed to freeing fleets from their dependence on fossil fuels. Motiv’s EPIC (Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis) are CARB certified, GSA approved, and available for many configurations including step 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 the only 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 among several of the largest fleet operators in the United States, 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. For more information and career opportunities, please visit www.motivps.com and follow us on Twitter @motivps, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Detroit Custom Chassis LLC and Detroit Chassis LLC
Founded in 1998, Detroit Chassis LLC (www.detroitchassis.com) and Detroit Custom Chassis LLC (www.detroitcustomchassis.com), are subsidiaries of Spectra LMP LLC, a concept to customer provider of niche vehicle manufacturing solutions owned by Michael and Carlton Guthrie. Detroit Custom Chassis is a provider of custom upfits, alternative powertrain conversions and complex sub-assemblies to a variety of automotive, Motorhome, commercial truck and transit industries.  Detroit Chassis has been recognized by Quality Magazine on the Quality Leadership 100 list, and as “Supplier of the Year” by the National Minority Business Development Council and by On Wheels, Inc. and Minority Supplier of the Year by the National Business League.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems (Motiv), the leading provider of all-electric medium-duty fleet chassis, announced today that its Chairman of the Board and Board member for more than two years, Matt O’Leary, has been appointed as CEO. Jim Castelaz, has assumed the role of CTO and will maintain a seat on Motiv’s board. O’Leary will continue to serve as interim Board Chairman and plans to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area in the coming weeks.

Motiv Power Systems welcomes Matt O’Leary as its new CEO. Before joining the Motiv board, O’Leary served in various capacities in his 38 years at Ford Motor Company, including, most recently holding the title of Vehicle Line Director – North America Trucks, SUVs, and Commercial Vehicles.

“This transition is really a natural byproduct of the tremendous market success that Motiv has experienced, and the future growth plans we are putting in place,” said O’Leary. “The number of recent key partner and supplier agreements Motiv has secured over the past year, including sales to USPS and a strategic partnership with Winnebago, as well as a BMW lithium-ion battery supply agreement, demonstrate that the company has matured and now offers an opportunity to better leverage Jim’s incredible technical talent in expanding our technology offerings with innovations to further cement our competitive advantage. My transition from Chairman to CEO provides the company with a seamless transition and allows me to apply my operational experience and deep commercial customer knowledge more directly to the team.””It was always my hope that we would reach a point in Motiv’s evolution where I could focus on the aspect of Motiv that excites me the most – and that’s the development and deployment of our key technology and our growing ability to Free Fleets from Fossil Fuels. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and am excited about this opportunity to pass the reins to Matt,” said Castelaz. “It has been a pleasure working with him over these last two years, and I am confident of the tremendous value his leadership brings to Motiv.”

Before joining the Motiv board, O’Leary served in various capacities in his 38 years at Ford Motor Company, including, most recently holding the title of Vehicle Line Director – North America Trucks, SUVs, and Commercial Vehicles. During his extensive career at Ford Motor Company, O’Leary co-led the launch of the aluminum-intensive 2015 F150 at two assembly plants. As Director of Corporate Strategy, he led development of a corporate strategy to significantly grow Ford’s presence in the Asia Pacific. As Director of Product Development for South America, O’Leary led the historical transformation of Ford South America from 100 percent legacy to 100 percent global products in three years, including local design and development of two global vehicles – EcoSport and Ka. O’Leary also led from inception to launch the successful all-new 2009 F150 which won many awards including Motor Trend and North American Truck-of-the-Year awards, as well as Truck of Texas.

In January, Motiv had announced a battery supply agreement with BMW AG for its new line of lithium-ion batteries and earlier this month, a new deployment with CALSTART and the United States Postal Service.

About Motiv Power Systems
Founded in 2009, and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Motiv Power Systems, a leading provider of software and technology to electrify medium duty commercial vehicles, is committed to freeing fleets from their dependence on fossil fuels. Motiv’s EPIC (Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis) are CARB certified, GSA approved, and available for many configurations including step 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 the only 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 among several of the largest fleet operators in the United States, the EPIC family eliminates 100% of vehicle emissions, dramatically reduces operating and maintenance costs, and creates a healthier environment for riders and communities, while also reducing driver fatigue.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems (Motiv), the leading provider of all-electric medium duty fleet chassis, has begun deliveries of Ford E-450 based all-electric step vans to the United States Postal Service (USPS).

As compared to their combustion engine-powered counterparts, Motiv’s all-electric EPIC chassis equipped mail delivery vans are expected to save fuel and maintenance costs resulting in an overall reduction of total cost of ownership.

The pilot program of seven Motiv-powered vans is slated for deployment in California’s Central Valley. The first vehicle now serves routes in Fresno with the balance of the vehicles to be deployed in Fresno and Stockton as part of a year-long program. Most of the immediate project benefits will accrue in the San Joaquin Valley, an economically disadvantaged area with some of the highest pollution burdens in the country, as evidenced by CalEnviroScreen scores within the worst five percent in the state.

The USPS has a long history of testing electric vehicles for city delivery. In fact, the first known test of an electric vehicle for mail collection was in Buffalo, New York on July 2, 1899. Since 2001, the USPS has operated 30 electric two-ton vehicles on the streets of New York City, and these were later joined by a pair of two-ton hybrid electric vehicles in Long Island.

“We’re proud to now be a part of USPS’ long tradition of implementing the latest technology to green their fleet,” said Motiv CEO Jim Castelaz. “Our all-electric EPIC chassis have accumulated 500,000 real-world miles and are ideally suited to the USPS vehicle route characteristics. We’re thrilled that USPS has chosen Motiv to help meet their sustainability goals.”

The USPS’ acquisition of the Motiv chassis-powered vans was developed as a partnership by CALSTART and the San Joaquin Clean Transportation Center and funded through a California Air Resources Board (CARB) award to the San Joaquin Air Quality Control. It represents a historic project. The funds are meant to provide an incentive to Californian fleets to adopt the cleanest emerging technologies and continue to advance California’s Air Quality and Climate goals.

The USPS’ acquisition of the vans was made possible by the California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The cap-and-trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investment projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are made in disadvantaged and low-income communities. More information on this program can be found at California Climate Investments.

All parties involved in building, funding, and deploying this first wave of Motiv-powered USPS vans are excited about working together to bring this initial order to fruition.

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 step 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% of vehicle emissions, dramatically reduces operating and maintenance costs, and creates a healthier environment for riders and communities, while also reducing driver fatigue.

About the California Air Resources Board:
CARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. CARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards. www.arb.ca.gov

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.