The world’s largest Vehicle-to-Grid pilot system is here

[TruckElectric]

The world’s largest Vehicle-to-Grid pilot system is here





The test project is being led by FCA, Engie EPS and Terna

December 28, 2020 - Mobility is changing at a rapid pace, as electric vehicles gain market share. According to certain estimates, one out of three vehicles worldwide will be electric by 2025 on the way to exceeding 50%, outpacing other vehicle types, by 2030. In Europe, electric vehicles are expected to increase by 7 to 25%, and sales of electric vehicles are set to go from 2.5 million to nearly 12 million over the next five years.

Energy consumption will also increase in lockstep with the increasing popularity of full-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with peaks concentrated at specific times of the day. Therefore, in order to promote electric mobility, it will be crucial to rethink both the manner in which electricity is produced, with a focus on renewables, and how to distribute that energy and balance demand and supply on the grid in real time.

FCA has taken up the challenge and, through an agreement with Engie EPS (an industrial player that develops technologies to revolutionize the paradigm in the global energy industry) and Terna (the operator that manages the electricity-transmission grid in Italy), launched the first phase of a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot project in Turin, Italy, to test potential connections of the company’s vehicles to the grid. The Dross project at FCA’s Mirafiori complex in Turin is a world first for the company and, once completed, the V2G system will be the world’s largest pilot project of its kind among those that have thus far been announced.

A “battery on wheels”

What is V2G exactly? It is an innovative technology based on bidirectional load management, which transforms electric vehicles into large, “mobile batteries” that interact intelligently with the grid.

In practical terms, vehicles draw energy for recharging during periods of lower consumption and give energy back to the grid when demand is high, thereby helping to balance supply and demand and to avoid blackouts. In other words, they provide “grid-flexibility” services in order to increase stability and safety.

The technology will, of course, be developed so as to avoid any inconvenience for users, who will simply need to connect their vehicle to the charging station and input the time at which they want to be back on the road and the distance to be traveled or the percent charge to be achieved, and the system will take care of the rest automatically.

And that’s not all. When the final system has been perfected so as to enable individual vehicles to participate in this market, the flexible services provided by electric vehicles will also result in cost savings. As a result, the V2G system will not only improve grid performance, but will also create value for drivers, who will be able to optimize the total cost of ownership of their cars.

At the moment, the project serves as an opportunity to demonstrate that V2G technology works, but it will eventually become a repeatable business model that will offer significant savings to parking garages and corporate fleet managers.

From testing to full-scale operation
Creation of the system at the Mirafiori Drosso logistics center will transform the electric New 500s sitting on the lot waiting to be sold from a pure cost into an opportunity for cost savings, with this same sort of savings being available, in the not-so-distant future, to car-rental companies and all who manage fleets of electric vehicles. A great many vehicles are to be parked at the Drosso logistics center, an area of 3,000 square meters (about three-quarters of an acre), making this an excellent opportunity to provide grid services as well as the ideal context in which to maximize the potential of V2G made possible by its two key factors, i.e. the availability of vehicles and the low level of degradation of their batteries, given that the vehicles will be parked on the lot on rotation and for short periods of time.

As they await delivery to dealers, the electric New 500s will be connected to 50 kW, fast-charging, bidirectional charging stations. The centralized infrastructure and advanced control system, which allow for both rapid charging and V2G grid services, have both been designed, patented and produced by Engie EPS.

The first phase of system construction called for the installation of 32 V2G charging stations able to connect 64 vehicles. For the second phase, which will lead to full-scale operation once testing has been completed, up to 700 vehicles will be able to be connected to the infrastructure. This expansion work is to take place in 2021 and is expected to be operational in 2022. In addition, for the covered area where the vehicles connected to the V2G system are to be parked, Engie Italy is to partner with FCA in the construction of this vast parking shelter, which will feature around 12,000 photovoltaic panels. The renewable energy produced by these panels will go back into the national power grid, thereby reducing CO2 production by more than 2,100 tons per year. As a result, the project will make a significant contribution to efforts of industrial decarbonization.

In order to enhance the stability of Italy’s power grid while increasing the penetration of renewable energy, FCA and Engie EPS have been awarded 25 MW of capacity in order to provide the innovative, ultra-rapid frequency regulation service (Fast Reserve) to Italy’s electricity system operator (ESO), Terna. These 25 MW ae to be provided during the period 2023-2027 by way of the Mirafiori V2G system. More specifically, the power is to be provided by some 700 batteries, largely on board the New Fiat 500s parked on the lot, as well as by “second-life” batteries taken from the vehicles themselves, which are to be reused by the system rather than being thrown away.

This project represents the first large-scale, industrial application of V2G supplemented by second-life batteries removed from electric vehicles, making it a unique project within the circular economy that will maximize the utility of batteries throughout their useful lives.

In its final configuration, thanks in part to the power generated by other services, such as the photovoltaic panels, the Mirafiori V2G center will become a virtual power plant in its own right, able to optimize the use of electricity equivalent to the power consumed by over 8,000 homes while providing a wide range of services to the ESO.

“This is a sort of testbed for the experimentation and development of solutions to create value on the energy markets,” explained Roberto Di Stefano, FCA’s head of Network Development and e-Mobility for the EMEA Region. “On average, vehicles go unused for 80-90% of the day. Throughout this period, if connected to the grid, vehicle-to-grid technology enables users to take advantage of incentivized energy rates in exchange for the balancing service they provide, and all without compromising their need for mobility. This is a great outcome and one that unites the mobility and energy industries. This project also falls within the broader context of the technology partnership in place since 2016 between Engie EPS and FCA in e-mobility, which has the primary, practical objective of reducing total cost of ownership of FCA’s electric vehicles by way of specific offerings for our customers.”

In this regard, the two companies have just announced that they will be joining forces in a joint venture to provide a full range of services and solutions throughout Europe, such as charging infrastructures and green-energy packages designed to provide everyone with fast, easy access to electric mobility. The new venture is to be an Italian-based technology firm created by the two industry leaders, who will integrate their know-how in order to make their vision a reality. In this way, e-mobility will become the key enabler of a rapid transition towards electrification.

To the benefit of the environment

To the advantages in terms of total cost of ownership for users, we can also add the benefits to the environment. Indeed, it is estimated that total storage capacity in electric vehicles in Europe will surpass 300 GWh by 2025 and will, therefore, represent the largest, distributed resource available to Europe’s electricity system.

The goal of achieving sustainable energy production by making increasing use of renewable sources that, by their nature, are difficult to plan for will benefit greatly from the flexible services provided by V2G.
V2G technology is one of the greatest incentives in the spread of truly sustainable electric mobility and is the pillar of a rapid energy transition, as a valid, effective, beneficial and environmentally sustainable solution that will reduce CO2 emissions.


SOURCE: FCA GROUP

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[TruckElectric]

Accelerate eVTOL Production
FCA will provide low-cost supply chain and composite materials expertise.

Artist’s rendering of Archer’s eVTOL scheduled to begin production in 2023.Archer

California-based Archer, creating the world’s first all-electric airline, plans to collaborate with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to access the automobile giant’s low-cost supply chain, advanced composite material capabilities, and engineering and design experience.

Archer will manufacture high-volume, composite, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with the intent of starting production in 2023. FCA, the parent company of established automobile brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, has already collaborated on cockpit design elements of Archer’s first aircraft, expected to be unveiled in early 2021. The 100 percent electric aircraft will be capable of traveling distances of up to 60 miles at 150 mph. Through this announced collaboration, the companies will work together to significantly decrease the cost of production, enabling Archer to bring affordably priced service to customers via its ultra-quiet, high-performance eVTOL aircraft.

“Electrification within the transportation sector whether on roads or in the air is the future and with any new and rapidly developing technology, scale is important,” said Doug Ostermann, FCA’s vice president and head of global business development. “Our partnership with Archer has mutual benefits and will enable innovative, environmentally friendly transportation solutions to be brought to market at an accelerated pace.

SOURCE: FLYING


Fiat Chrysler Automobiles gets into air taxi business with Silicon Valley's Archer

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, known for its love of heavy-duty horsepower in its Hemis and Hellcats, is partnering with a Silicon Valley air taxi start-up with plans to produce electric aircraft in 2023.

FCA, whose brands include Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, has already collaborated with Palo Alto, California-based Archer on cockpit design, which the companies expect to unveil later this year, according to a news release Tuesday. The deal will allow Archer "to benefit from access to FCA's low-cost supply chain, advanced composite materials capabilities and engineering and design experience."

Archer is to build high-volume, composite electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, known as eVTOL, the release said.

"While we are not sharing specific details around our production plans and location at this time, our goal is to start volume manufacturing in 2023 and conduct the first consumer flights in 2024," according to Louise Bristow, a spokesperson for Archer.

Financial terms of the deal were not provided, with Bristow noting Archer is privately owned. FCA is expected to complete its merger with Peugeot maker PSA Group to form Stellantis on Saturday. Bristow said the merger would not affect the partnership directly, but FCA's supply chain and other capabilities could benefit from collaboration with PSA.

FCA is leaping into an area where numerous companies, such as Uber and General Motors, have seen potential. In a 2019 research paper, Morgan Stanley referenced "a total addressable market of $1.5 trillion for autonomous aircraft by 2040."

Many of the proposals for this type of air travel have focused on the use of autonomous flying technology.

For the time being, Archer's aircraft will not be autonomous, although autonomous options are being explored, Bristow said. Instead, the aircraft will carry a pilot and four passengers.

Bristow said the focus would be on passenger transport, as opposed to hauling cargo or making deliveries.

Archer's aircraft will be able to travel 60 miles at up to 150 mph, according to the news release. Archer's website said that range is possible using current commercially available battery technology.

The aircraft will "take off vertically like a helicopter, fly forward like an airplane, and will be 100% electric. There is no runway required and the vehicles can land vertically on a traditional helicopter landing pad or retrofitted landing site," the website said.

Questions remain, of course, about how quickly technology often identified with science fiction is truly likely to be in wide use. Regulations and control infrastructure are some of the areas of uncertainty.

Archer cofounders Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein said in a posting that they intend to keep costs to fly affordable.

"Our goal is to make our service is affordable for the masses. This means driving operating costs down to the price of ride sharing and over time to the cost of car ownership," they said.

They also said they intend to make the aircraft as safe as commercial airliners and keep the "flyover noise at or below equivalent sound levels of residential neighborhoods."

Goldstein, in the release, touted the potential for mass electric air travel to transform transportation.

“This is a first-of-its-kind deal for one of Detroit’s Big Three automakers in moving into the urban air mobility space. There is now a clear path for Archer to bring mass production to this industry, changing the way people travel in and around cities forever,” Goldstein said.

Doug Ostermann, vice president and head of global business development of FCA, mentioned the mutual benefits of the partnership.

“Electrification within the transportation sector whether on roads or in the air is the future and with any new and rapidly developing technology, scale is important. Our partnership with Archer has mutual benefits and will enable innovative, environmentally friendly transportation solutions to be brought to market at an accelerated pace," Ostermann said in the release.


SOURCE: DETROIT FREE PRESS

Fiat Chrysler teams with startup Archer to build an electric air taxi
The planned eVTOL craft would cruise at 150 MPH for up to 60 miles.

Archer Aviation is one of many startups trying to build an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, among Volocopter, Hyundai, Lilium and many others. The startup just boosted its standing, however, as it has announced a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).

Archer plans to build a composite eVTOL aircraft capable of traveling 150 MPH for distances up to 60 miles. FCA will provide access to its “low-cost supply chain, advanced composite material capabilities and engineering and design experience,” according to Archer. The aim is to unveil the electric aircraft design in 2021 and start manufacturing in 2023.


Archer has only released a teaser image of the aircraft, showing a sleek six-prop, V-tail design. Presumably, the wings or individual engines rotate to allow for both VTOL and decent forward travel speeds. The design differs from others we’ve seen like Lilium’s aircraft, which has the propulsive fans hidden in the wings. It’s also nothing like the drone-type designs from Volocopter, Joby and Hyundai. It does look a bit like Larry Page’s “Cora” air taxi, however.

Archer said it’s been “hyper-focused” on the customer part of the design, aiming to offer “increased safety while producing minimal noise” compared to helicopters. “Now, we are working with a seasoned, industry-leading automotive partner... to produce thousands of aircraft reliably and affordably every single year,” said co-founder and co-CEO Brett Adcock.

All passenger aircraft must pass a rigorous FAA certification process that’s daunting even for experienced companies like Boeing, and it’s still not clear how “thousands” of air taxis would fit into the current air traffic control system. On top of that, so far we’ve seen zero eVTOL aircraft that look ready for human transport or mass production.

SOURCE: Engadget


Archer partners with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, targeting volume eVTOL production by 2023
Tuesday January 12, 2021

California-based startup Archer has partnered with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to tap the automaker’s supply chain and manufacturing expertise as the company pursues volume production of its passenger eVTOL aircraft.

Archer hasn’t yet revealed its eVTOL aircraft, but the startup has landed a manufacturing partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Archer Image

A relative newcomer on the urban air mobility scene, Archer made headlines last year for recruiting key talent away from numerous other leading eVTOL aircraft developers, including Joby Aviation, Wisk, Kitty Hawk and Airbus’ now-concluded Vahana technology demonstrator program. At the time, one source familiar with industry-wide hiring trends told Aviation Todaythe company was driving up salaries across the west coast of the United States but expected that impact would be “short-lived.”

Just under a year later, Archer — founded by former Vettery co-founders Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein — has grown its engineering team to over 60 members, with plans to unveil and fly its full-scale eVTOL prototype this year. The five-seat aircraft is projected to have a range of 60 miles (96 kilometers), top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) and will be fully electric.

For now, Archer is focused entirely on passenger transportation, though Goldstein acknowledges that there are other “very interesting business opportunities” such as military, cargo and emergency services that may be pursued in the future. The company is also planning on operating its own aircraft as the “world’s first all-electric airline.”

Leveraging the experience and lessons-learned of its competitors, Adcock told eVTOL.com that Archer has flown the full flight envelope of its aircraft with subscale prototypes, is “deep in the certification process” with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and hopes to beat much of the competition to a certified aircraft.

“I think while others have zigged and zagged, we have a plan to actually take a straight line to get a vehicle to market and so I think we could be, if not the first, one of the first vehicles to market,” Goldstein told eVTOL.com. He listed key hires such as the company’s head of flight controls, chief avionics architect, head of aerodynamics and head of flight tests as having previously run those same departments at competing eVTOL design programs.

As the company prepared for certification, Archer added numerous certification engineers with experience on FAA Part 23 and Part 27 projects; now, looking ahead to manufacturing, Adcock and Goldstein have secured a partnership with the fourth-largest automotive group by volume in the world, as FCA Group is undergoing a merger with France’s Groupe PSA to create a new umbrella entity called Stellantis.

Archer has already been working with FCA for about a year, Adcock told eVTOL.com, and its prototype includes cockpit design elements from FCA and parts — door handles and seatbelts, for example — sourced from the automaker’s supply chain. Archer aims to certify its aircraft and begin volume production by 2023.

Peter Wells, director of the center for automotive industry research at Cardiff Business School, told eVTOL.com that supply chain management is one of the key competencies he expects FCA to bring to the partnership, along with whole vehicle integration.

“Chrysler, especially, is heavily outsourced and the company has been very focused on developing their supply chain management in order to drive cost reduction. They have teams of people that go into those suppliers to look at layouts and processes to help take down costs,” Wells said. “That expertise, in terms of being able to go into what is probably primarily an aerospace supply chain and kick it into shape, so to speak, to meet automotive-style standards and requirements I think will be a valuable asset.”

From FCA’s perspective, Wells views the announcement as some “positive noise” for the automaker. The Stellantis merger, which shareholders voted to approve on January 4, will require the combined company to “take a knife to that business and take out moribund brands and deal with their manufacturing footprint and all sorts of stuff.”

The automaker needs some positive, interesting news to excite investors and employees, Wells said.

“I think there is an attempt to create a positive vibe,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they’re not going to do it; it just means that at this point, it’s a good story for them to run with, and it shows intent. They could see it through, but neither [Fiat Chrysler nor PSA] have particularly strong records in terms of innovation and design.”

A spokesperson for FCA Group said the agreement with Archer will help the automaker “gain exposure and learn about the urban air mobility market,” noting that electrification “is the future” of the transportation sector both on the road and in the air. FCA is the parent company of American brands Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram.

“FCA has committed to work with Archer on key areas such as advanced composites and [noise, vibration and harshness] where FCA’s expertise will add significant value to Archer’s product development timeline,” the spokesperson told eVTOL.com. “We are not discussing the details of resource allocation at this time, however the two parties are committed to exploring opportunities that continue to broaden and build upon these early stages.”

The entrance of automakers into the urban air mobility scene has largely been greeted positively, since eVTOL manufacturers hope to produce aircraft at rates far beyond what any traditional aerospace companies have done in the past few decades. Hyundai, with the creation of its urban air mobility division, has made the most vertically integrated move into the sector, while Toyota opted to invest almost $400 million and partner with Joby Aviation.

“As well as receiving valuable input and advice from teams working within Toyota, we also have Toyota engineers embedded within our teams at Joby,” a spokesperson for Joby told eVTOL.com. “Whether it’s building on Toyota’s expertise in hybrid powertrain systems to improve the reliability and safety of our system, or applying the Toyota Production System philosophy to our production plans, we are very fortunate to have Toyota as partners and we expect our collaboration to grow from here.”

Archer, similarly, hopes its partnership with FCA will increase its odds of success at building a manufacturing operation capable of eventually producing tens of thousands of aircraft a year — the kind of scale necessary to make urban air mobility widely available and affordable.

“The autos are the only group in the world that have learned how to produce thousands and thousands of vehicles and bring the cost down over time and make it more automated,” Adcock told eVTOL.com. “There are techniques like resin transfer molding and compression molding that we’ll need to learn from them and figure out for ourselves in order to think about high volume composite manufacturing and certify those processes with the FAA . . . Partnering with Fiat gives us higher odds of being able to achieve those techniques because they do it today.”

Automakers have made significant progress in adapting to some of the materials and practices found in aerospace, Wells told eVTOL.com, in terms of rigorous control of material quality and delivering at high levels of dimensional accuracy and repeatability at large volumes.

“Look at what BMW has done with the i3, for example,” Wells said. “I went to the factory in Leipzig and it’s very impressive the amount of care that went into track-and-trace through the whole manufacturing system to ensure safety and reliability . . . they just wanted to be sure they had absolute control over the production process, and if anything went [outside of accepted limits] in terms of quality control, they would know exactly which machine to look at, exactly which process to look at.”

For Archer’s co-founders, the deal with FCA — the first of the Big Three Detroit automakers to move into the eVTOL space — reflects the progress their all-star engineering team has quietly made to catch up with established names like Joby, Kitty Hawk and Wisk.

“Having Fiat Chrysler choose Archer we think validates us as one of the leaders in the space,” Adcock said. “Our goal here is to be one of the first groups to market and to build a big business, and we think our timeline, the supporting balance sheet we have with [Marc Lore, president of Walmart eCommerce] and other investors, and now Fiat here as well, we have the ability to really do that.”


SOURCE: eVTOL

 

[Crissa]

I don't see how this scales, but it is cool!

-Crissa

 

[TruckElectric]

Fiat Chrysler, now part of Stellantis, to plead guilty in corruption probe, pay $30M

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, known as Stellantis since the company's merger with Peugeot-maker PSA Group, will plead guilty in the federal corruption probe that has led to convictions against 15 people, including former UAW and FCA officials, and pay a $30 million fine.

The company released a statement "that it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan to resolve its investigation into past misconduct of certain former FCA US employees involving the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center (NTC). The agreement, which is subject to U.S. federal court approval, includes a guilty plea to a single count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act and the payment of a $30 million fine."

The company said it "also agreed to implement an independent compliance monitor for three years with respect to the dissolution of the NTC and internal controls as they relate to the trusts being implemented to replace the NTC."

The agreement to plead guilty in the case is a significant change from early in the scandal when the company claimed it was "a victim of illegal conduct by certain rogue individuals."

The Free Press reported last year that the NTC building on East Nine Mile Road in Warren was on the market with a $20 million price tag. However, it's possible the building could continue in its previous role conducting joint activities training involving the automaker and the UAW. The training center for General Motors on the Detroit River, however, was sold for an undisclosed price. Joint training for GM is to be conducted elsewhere. Both training centers were implicated in the corruption scandal, which saw millions of dollars meant for worker training misdirected.

Prosecutors said FCA conspired to make illegal payments to UAW officers equivalent to $3.5 million in the form of golf, meals, parties and other things from 2009 to 2016. In a news release, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said the agreement means FCA is being held accountable.

“No matter the size or importance of a company, our job in the Justice Department is to faithfully enforce federal law. This proposed guilty plea ensures that FCA will be held accountable. With a $30 million fine, three years of probation, and a court-appointed monitor, we seek to make sure similar crimes do not happen at the company again," Schneider said.

The government said the company's actions undermined the collective bargaining process.

The charge against FCA follows numerous developments in recent months signaling a new phase or possibly winding down of the years-long probe. Schneider is preparing to leave the office for private practice next week, and his office reached a deal with the UAW in December to end the criminal investigation into the union. As part of the deal, the UAW is to have an independent monitor and a membership vote on how top leaders will be chosen. The UAW already paid $15 million to the training centers for improper chargebacks and was to pay $1.5 million to the Internal Revenue Service for administrative fees.

In explaining why FCA was charged as an organization and not the UAW, Schneider said FCA officials involved in the scandal were acting on behalf of the company, while UAW officials were acting for their themselves, including stealing from the union. Although the criminal investigation is over for the UAW and FCA, Ford remains under investigation, according to Schneider, who said General Motors is not.

Fifteen people, including two former UAW presidents, Gary Jones and Dennis Williams, were charged in the probe. Jones resigned his post in disgrace, and both await sentencing. On Wednesday, a former mid-level UAW official, Edward "Nick" Robinson, was sentenced to one year in prison for his role. A judge rejected a prosecution request that Robinson's extensive help in the investigation warranted probation instead of prison.

Charges were not limited to union officials, however. Alphons Iacobelli, the onetime lead labor negotiator for FCA, recently had his 66-month sentence in the case reduced to 48 months because he, like others, cooperated. Iacobelli was a key early figure, who, authorities said, used training funds to pay for a Ferrari, jewel-encrusted pens and home improvements.

Iacobelli's role in connection with the late Sergio Marchionne, the legendary former CEO of FCA, has been referenced in court filings as well, but Marchionne was never charged in the case.

When asked about that previously, Schneider simply referenced the fact that Marchionne had died.

"We don’t charge or indict people who are deceased. He's deceased so therefore there's really nothing else that I can say about that," Schneider said.

On Wednesday, Schneider reiterated that position in response to a reporter's question.

FCA's legal headaches involving the probe continue despite Wednesday's plea announcement. A lawsuit General Motors filed against FCA, claiming the company corrupted contract bargaining in order to damage GM and force a merger that never occurred, was dismissed at the federal district court level but has been appealed. FCA called the case meritless.

Erik Gordon, a law professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, said the $30 million fine for FCA is not significant, but that's not the only thing to consider.

"The fine is doughnut money. Pleading guilty to a criminal charge is the bigger part of it. The company can't be put in jail, but companies try to avoid pleading to criminal charges," Gordon said. "The company might face more lawsuits from investors who refer to the guilty plea."

Of course, Fiat Chrysler, or Stellantis, isn't the first company to face a serious legal comeuppance. It's also not the first time in recent years that FCA has been involved with the Justice Department's Criminal Division. The company has acknowledged being in talks about an investigation into diesel emissions cheating involving approximately 100,000 2014-16 Eco-diesel Ram 1500 pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokees. An FCA manager, Emanuele Palma, has been indicted in connection with that case.

Other companies, including GM and Volkswagen, have their own stories.

The deadly defective ignition switch case involving a pre-bankruptcy GM led to a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department. As part of the multibillion dollar cost to the automaker, GM settled the Justice Department's criminal case for $900 million in a deferred prosecution agreement that ended in 2018, according to previous Free Press reporting.

In another infamous example, Volkswagen agreed, in addition to its multibillion-dollar settlement, to plead guilty to three felonies, including conspiracy, in its Dieselgate case. The company installed software designed to fool vehicle emissions testing, a case that had echoes in the FCA emissions scandal. Numerous VW executives were indicted, and two former employees were imprisoned.


SOURCE: DETROIT FREE PRESS

 

[Sirfun]

V2G is a major part of the EV revolution in my eyes. Think about all the School Buses being electric. The School buses don't need a lot of range and mainly get used for a couple hours in the morning then parked and reused in the afternoon. PERFECT for V2G. They could be connected to the grid getting fully charged over night. And connected to solar during the day, storing energy to be used in the evenings for peak grid use.
How about a rental car fleet that is connected when not in use. Think of all the parking structures around the world, that the top floor could have the shade of a solar system and plug in your car while parked.

 

[TruckElectric]

V2G is a major part of the EV revolution in my eyes. Think about all the School Buses being electric. The School buses don't need a lot of range and mainly get used for a couple hours in the morning then parked and reused in the afternoon. PERFECT for V2G. They could be connected to the grid getting fully charged over night. And connected to solar during the day, storing energy to be used in the evenings for peak grid use.
How about a rental car fleet that is connected when not in use. Think of all the parking structures around the world, that the top floor could have the shade of a solar system and plug in your car while parked.

There are millions of school buses in the U.S. and they are slowly becoming electrified.

I would like to see a V2G program being considered but that cost money and not sure if the Federal Government will have any money left for such programs.