LONG BEACH, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems today announced its commencing sales of all-electric EPIC 4 Series Dearborn chassis with Champion Bus, a REV Group company. The new zero emissions shuttles feature the Challenger EV body manufactured by Champion in Imlay City, Michigan.  Based on the popular Ford E-450 platform, the EPIC chassis-equipped Champion Challenger EV is the first of its kind OEM integration for the North American shuttle bus market.

“We are excited to be part of this program with Champion,” said Kash Sethi, Director of Sales for Motiv Power Systems. “With fixed routes and high fuel costs, we’ve long seen the shuttle bus market as an ideal use case for the EPIC Chassis. Past deployments have borne this out and having Championon board as an OEM marks the realization of this vision on a much larger scale.”

“Both from an economic and carbon reduction standpoint, we have strong demand for clean energy alternatives to gasoline and diesel in the shuttle bus market,” said David Rhode, Vice President and General Manager, of REV Bus Imlay City. “Our integration with Motiv Power Systems helps meet this demand with the proven EPIC chassis, approved by Ford through its rigorous QVM standards, to deliver the performance and reliability that our customers have come to expect from Champion.”

Offering comparable performance to combustion engine powered shuttle buses, the Challenger EV is capable of meeting a wide variety of range requirements, while continuing to offer smooth, quiet operation with minimal maintenance and service needs. The total ownership cost of the Challenger EV will be below comparable fossil fueled shuttles, when factoring in the 85 percent reduction in operating cost and 66 percent reduction in maintenance cost that they represent, as well as the number of national and state subsidy programs for which it is eligible.

The launch of the Challenger EV represents an alignment of two established market leaders. Champion’s Challenger series has become the benchmark by which shuttle buses are judged while Motiv’s EPIC chassis has logged more than 350,000 real-world miles in Fortune 50 fleet deployments nationwide. The Challenger EVs are available for immediate purchase exclusively through Champion Bus dealers with deliveries commencing in the third quarter of 2018.

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 and available for a number of different body 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 350,000 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 Champion Bus

Champion Bus, Inc., a subsidiary of REV, manufactures small and medium sized commercial buses for public transit, paratransit, parking, airport, hotel/resort, assisted living, group tour, church and university markets. Founded in 1953, Champion Bus was the first bus manufacturer to become QVM certified by the Ford Motor Company. All bus models manufactured at the company’s ISO 9001 certified facility in Imlay City, Mich. are Altoona tested, FMVSS/CMVSS compliant and have tested to U.S. and European rollover safety standards. Backed by a dependable dealer network in North America, Champion Bus provides quick delivery of replacement parts and responsive customer service and technical support. For more information, visit www.championbus.com

FOREST CITY, IOWA — Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO), a leading United States (U.S.) recreation vehicle manufacturer, has announced the launch of an all-electric/zero-emission commercial vehicle platform through the Company’s Specialty Vehicles Division. In conjunction, the Company has announced a strategic partnership with Motiv Power Systems, Inc., a U.S. market leader in chassis for medium-duty electric vehicles, for the development and supply of electric-powered chassis. As part of the strategic partnership, Winnebago intends to make a financial investment in Motiv, the terms of which were not disclosed.

“Winnebago Industries is a company that is focused on creating customer value through innovation and technology,” said Ashis Bhattacharya, Vice President, Strategic Planning and Development, and leader of the Specialty Vehicles Division. “We have a rich history of product and feature innovation, and we are continuously evaluating new and emerging technologies to further that legacy. We believe that all-electric vehicle applications continue to evolve to serve numerous end-user needs and this is our first step as a participant in this space.”

Winnebago Industries has been a leading supplier of specialty and custom-built vehicles for more than 30 years. Offerings include commercial shells, Ability Equipped motorhomes, and specialty vehicles. Every Winnebago Industries commercial vehicle features an interlocking SuperStructure design creating a barrier-free interior and allowing for maximum customization. Available options include slide rooms, alternate entrance door locations, wheelchair lifts and cargo doors. Other integrated systems can include: air-conditioning, generators, solar panels, inverters, power back-up systems, leveling systems, toilets, showers, and plumbing.

Winnebago Industries’ all-electric/zero-emission commercial vehicle is based on a Class A RV platform utilizing Motiv’s Ford F53 based EPIC all-electric chassis and will be available in 33-foot and 38-foot lengths with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) up to 26,000 pounds. The vehicle is suited for urban and semi-urban short range commercial applications like mobile medical clinics, bloodmobiles, mobile classrooms and mobile outreach vehicles. Significant road testing has been conducted on the vehicle that houses six to eight batteries and delivers an expected range of 85 to 125 miles on a full charge.

“Motiv’s EPIC all-electric chassis, paired with Winnebago Industries’ highly regarded commercial shell, is the perfect fit for end-users who seek reliable performance and functionality,” said Jim Castelaz, Motiv CEO & Founder. “We are excited to collaborate with Winnebago Industries as we work together to grow the electric commercial vehicle market.”

About Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries is a leading U.S. manufacturer of recreation vehicles under the Winnebago and Grand Design brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motorhomes, travel trailers and fifth wheel products. Winnebago has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Oregon and Minnesota. The Company’s common stock is listed on the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges and traded under the symbol WGO. Options for the Company’s common stock are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. For access to Winnebago’s investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net.

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. Motiv’s EPIC (Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis) family is CARB certified, GSA approved, and available for a number of different body configurations including walk-in vans, box trucks, work trucks, shuttle buses, school buses, trolleys, and other specialty vehicles. An EPIC chassis 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 350,000 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.

Revolutionary Battery Controller Lowers Cost, Increases Payload, and Streamlines Build Process for Medium-Duty Fleet Vehicle Applications

FOSTER CITY Calif. and LONG BEACH, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems this week at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, California announced plans to produce its forthcoming Adaptive Battery Controller™ (ABC), its new technology for monitoring and controlling multiple independent battery packs. The ABC represents an exciting step forward in controlling the batteries of Motiv’s Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis (EPIC) family of chassis for trucks and busses, reducing the control hardware’s footprint to a mere 10 percent of its previous size and weight.

The single biggest hurdle facing the adoption of electric zero-emissions vehicles in the commercial fleet market is up-front cost followed by limited payload/range as a close second. This is because most electric commercial vehicles today use low-volume, custom battery packs that are around twice as expensive per kilowatt-hour in comparison with the high-volume battery packs typically found in passenger cars. Together, the batteries and their respective controllers, represent the biggest cost center in vehicle builds and also negatively impact the finished vehicle’s payload capacity and range.

In an effort to both dramatically drive down costs and increase payload and range, Motiv’s EPIC chassis takes advantage of the significant cost savings afforded by installing passenger car batteries that are produced at scale and, with an ABC on board, the capability of simultaneously controlling multiple battery packs through a single piece of hardware.

The new ABC also streamlines the body fitting by freeing up space outside of the chassis frame rails, providing more space and flexibility for body builders.

“Motiv’s goal with the EPIC was to create a simple, reliable, and cost-effective all-electric chassis capable of meeting the varying needs of medium-duty fleet operators while streamlining the build process. The ABC is a key ingredient in realizing that vision,” said Jim Castelaz, founder and CEO of Motiv Power Systems. “Unlike our legacy technology, which required an extra box per battery and took up a lot of room on the chassis frame rails, the ABC is essentially an intelligent battery junction box for up to six batteries. As a single, discrete piece of hardware, the ABC really is a game-changer and is a pioneering piece of technology for the commercial fleet market. No one else has anything like it.”

Motiv recently became the first all-electric chassis supplier to receive CARB certification. Motiv’s EPIC all-electric chassis is already in use in Fortune 50 fleet deployments nationwide, having already logged more than 350,000 miles on the road.

Motiv’s EPIC Chassis will be on display in booth #1527 at the ACT Expo and available for test drives in the exhibition’s Ride & Drive event. The conference runs April 30 to May 3, 2018 in Long Beach, California.

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. Motiv’s EPIC (Electric Powered Intelligent Chassis) family is CARB certified, GSA approved, and available for a number of different body configurations including walk-in vans, box trucks, work trucks, shuttle buses, school buses, trolleys, and other specialty vehicles. An EPIC chassis 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 review and support from Ford to ensure safety and reliability. With more than 350,000 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.