The EC Tech Desk is a monthly resource compiled by the EC’s technical services team that aims to curate transportation electrification’s most relevant news, tools, and resources in a brief, readable format.
Vehicle News
Pictured: EC Senior Programs Associate Carolyn Bidó and Senior Communications Associate Liam Condon at an R2 pre-release event in May
- ECBC partner Rivian set June 9 as the key date for its R2 rollout, when order invitations, first customer deliveries, and public demo drives all begin. It is an important milestone for Rivian as it moves beyond the premium R1 lineup and begins delivering the more mass-market SUV that many see as central to the company’s next phase of growth.
- Chevrolet’s revived Bolt is making a strong affordability case: with a sub-$30,000 price tag, its real-world testing reached nearly 300 miles on a single charge—well above its EPA estimate of 262 miles. With faster charging, an LFP battery, and an NACS port, it’s one of the strongest range-per-dollar EVs on the market.
- Einride is proceeding with development on its cab-less autonomous electric trucks into proof-of-concept service on local public roads in Ohio. The pilot is notable because it pairs electrification with Level 4 autonomy in a real freight setting, offering a glimpse of how logistics operations will manage efficiency, safety, and labor.
- Stellantis announced seven new North American vehicles across Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge, and Fiat—all reportedly under $40,000—by 2030, including at least one fully electric model. While a mix of electric, internal combustion, and various hybrid models, this signals a broader focus on affordability.
- Slate has secured a $5 million Michigan grant to expand its Troy headquarters, supporting plans to add nearly 400 jobs as it works toward launching its electric pickup by the end of 2026. It is another sign that states remain eager to support EV manufacturing and engineering, especially when tied to lower-cost vehicle concepts.
- The San Francisco Unified School District is deploying 104 electric school buses with bidirectional charging, a scale that makes the project notable not just for fleet electrification but also for grid value. School buses continue to stand out as one of the clearest use cases for vehicle-to-grid because of their predictable schedules and their batteries’ ability to double as flexible energy assets.
Charging Infrastructure News
- NEVI Spotlight: Hawaiʻi’s new NEVI-funded site at Maui Kapalua Airport adds four 150 kW DC fast chargers with both NACS and CCS connectors and around-the-clock availability. The project is a useful reminder that the NEVI program is still steadily expanding corridor charging in places where reliable public access matters as much to residents as to visitors.
- Blink is integrating its 56,000-port network with Emobi’s roaming and automated charging platform, which could allow drivers to access Blink chargers through more automaker apps, fleet platforms, and plug-and-charge experiences. It is another example of the industry trying to reduce the fragmented, app-heavy charging experience that still frustrates many drivers.
- ECBC partner ABB E-mobility introduced the OM X-Series, a megawatt-scale charging architecture designed for the heaviest-duty sites, including transit depots, logistics hubs, and large public corridors. Its liquid-cooled, shared-power design reflects how charging infrastructure is evolving beyond individual chargers toward site-wide systems built for sustained high utilization.
- Blink Charging and Kempower are partnering on 14 new sites using distributed fast-charging systems, a setup that can route flexible power across multiple dispensers. This highlights how operators are increasingly prioritizing modular systems that can grow with demand over one-charger-one-power-cabinet designs.
- OBE Power and ChargePoint plan to deploy thousands of chargers at multifamily properties, pointing to one of the most persistent EV access gaps: charging for renters and apartment residents. If these kinds of projects scale, they could help reduce the single-family home-charging advantage that still shapes EV adoption.
- Peninsula Clean Energy installed 92 chargers at an affordable housing community in California, demonstrating how public or community energy entities can help close charging access gaps for residents who are often overlooked in early EV rollout.
- Boston Housing complex Hyde Park added 64 Level 2 EV chargers through a partnership with Loop Global, showing how charging is increasingly becoming an expected amenity in new or upgraded residential developments. For multifamily properties, projects like this can shape whether EV charging is treated as a premium feature or basic infrastructure.
- Bojangles unveiled its first EV charging station, a small but telling example of how food and retail brands continue to test charging as a customer amenity. These partnerships may not move the market significantly on their own, but they help normalize the idea that everyday destinations can double as charging stops.
In the Weeds
- Volvo Trucks added an electric power take-off (ePTO) option to its VNR Electric lineup, expanding the truck’s usefulness for vocational applications that need to run auxiliary equipment. It is a reminder that heavy-duty electrification depends not only on range and charging, but also on whether electric trucks can serve specialized work functions often historically handled by diesel platforms.
- WattEV and Tesla are planning what could be California’s largest electric truck deployment, with 370 Tesla Semis ordered for freight operations. The scale demonstrates how operators are moving from pilot programs to network-level planning, in which vehicle procurement and charging strategy must be developed together.
- Horizon Motor unveiled a new Class 8 electric truck, adding to the growing list of entrants targeting freight electrification. While the field is still evolving, continued product introductions suggest manufacturers see room for differentiated offerings in long-haul and regional-haul applications.
Cool Tool Pool
- Critical Minerals: New U.S. Geological Survey findings suggest the East Coast may hold enough untapped lithium resources to reduce dependence on imports if commercially viable extraction proves feasible. For the EV sector, it is another example of how domestic mineral supply is becoming as strategic a conversation as vehicle manufacturing itself.
If you come across any tools or resources you think should be added to the next edition of the Tech Desk, please reach out to Senior Program Associate Steph Wagner at steph@electrification.org