California regulators approve $31 million for two ZEV manufacturing projects

The California Energy Commission approved Feb. 15 nearly $31 million for two in-state projects for zero-emission transportation manufacturing as part of a program that will provide funds totaling $199.4 million to increase ZEV manufacturing.

The projects will increase in-state manufacturing of ZEVs, components and batteries, andvcharging or refueling equipment, "which will contribute to California's zero-emission goals," said Pilar Magaña, with the commission's fuels and transportation division.

One project involves production equipment for three-wheeled, two-passenger on-road vehicles, while the other will manufacture hydrogen fuel cell power systems and assemble fuel cell heavy-duty trucks.

Aptera Motors

Aptera Motors received $21,911,630 to install vehicle production equipment at two existing manufacturing facilities in Carlsbad and Vista to manufacture a three-wheeled, two-passenger on-road vehicle that will be available for commercial sale in California by mid-2023, Magaña said.

The company's goal is to create the speed and scale needed to produce an affordable solar ZEV that uses the sun to fuel up to a 40-mile daily commute, without the need for grid-connected charging, according to Aptera Motors.

Commission Chair David Hochschild said the vehicles "look like a Jetson's device" and wondered if they could go on a freeway.

The vehicles perform and behave like a regular vehicle on the road and have a top speed of 110 mph, but the three-wheel design makes them more efficient, said Pablo Ucar, Aptera's vice president of production and procurement. Four different models will be manufactured, spanning from a 250-mile range to a 1,000-mile range, with manufacturing starting with the 400-mile range option, Ucar added.

Aptera Motors will scale up manufacturing to 20,000 ZEVs annually by 2025, according to the company. The project will create 444 jobs, it added.

Symbio North America

Symbio North America received $9,076,445 to expand its facility in Poway and establish a new facility in Temecula to manufacture hydrogen fuel cell vehicle power systems and vehicle assembly. These facilities will assemble regional long-haul heavy-duty fuel cell class 8 trucks.

The goal is a combined annual total production capacity of 250 fuel cell electric vehicles and 250 to 300 heavy-duty fuel cell power systems. The project will create 63 permanent jobs. The company hopes the project will help stimulate and encourage the mass adoption of FCEVs by broadening the fuel cell vehicle applications, improving FCEV availability, and supporting the after-sales service and maintenance locally, according to Symbio North America.

In addition, Symbio North America's hydrogen fuel cell workforce training program will collaborate with universities to train 122 students and fleet operators over the project duration and continue to train 180 students and fleet operators annually after the project.

ZEV manufacturing

The state has a goal that 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emissions by 2035.

"In order to achieve these goals, significant changes to the transportation industry need to be addressed in order for California to achieve its goals," according to Symbio North America.

Common barriers to wider ZEV adoption include inexperienced workforce, limited service and maintenance support, and lack of in-state manufacturing to help lower the high total cost of ownership, which is why ZEV manufacturing is needed to address challenging duty cycles and transition to 100% zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles and support California decarbonization goals, according to Symbio North America.

The commission will award a total of $199.4 million as part of a competitive grant solicitation for zero-emission transportation manufacturing, Magaña said. In addition to the two projects approved Feb. 15, four projects totaling $46 million were approved in January in what was called the biggest investment in the market across the US. Additional awards will be presented in future business meetings.

"This is a series of grants that we're making on ZEV manufacturing," Commissioner Patty Monahan said, adding that 70,000 jobs will be created through the 55 total grants involved competitive grant program. "We are the number one source of jobs in the ZEV manufacturing industry."