It's no secret that fleets nationwide have been forced into sort of a holding pattern following President Trump's decision earlier this month to revoke EPA waivers granted to California's Air Resources Board (CARB) for its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and low-NOx Omnibus rules.
In short, Calif. fleets are no longer (for now) legally required to replace aging diesels with electrified rigs, a huge relief for the Class 8 long-haul market. Despite this development, the light- and medium-duty EV truck market continues to make market progress.
Xos and Leap, an electric step van and software developer, respectively, have launched a new partnership they claim will unlock grid revenue opportunities for electrified fleets.
[Related: Michigan, Electreon and Xos expanding wireless EV charging]
It all starts with the Xos Hub, a mobile, battery-integrated charger designed to increase the pace of fleet electrification without delays or costs typically included with traditional infrastructure. Xos says the system "provides a versatile, scalable solution for stopgap charging, remote deployments, semi-permanent charging, and backup power."
[Related: Xos Hub fast charger receives coveted GSA Schedule approval]
Integrating that hardware with Leap's software-based VPP platform allows for Xos to enroll its customers in California's Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) grid services program. As such, participating fleets will be able to tap into Xos Hub battery-integrating chargers when the grid is overwhelmed.
"Leveraging our complementary technologies, Leap and Xos are tapping new value streams for commercial truck fleets, the transportation services that power our economy," said Jason Michaels, CEO of Leap. "Together, we’re making these fleets cleaner, smarter, and more cost effective, while contributing to a more resilient energy landscape."
This capability is immensely beneficial during blackouts during heatwaves. Last summer, for example, DSGS played a major role in helping the Golden State avoid blackouts.
The combination of Xos' growing product portfolio and Leap's universal API suite, which automates energy market operations, makes it possible for Xos to deploy and scale its VPP offering without the need for additional hardware and unnecessary operational overhead.
"Our VPP offering gives fleet customers advanced energy capabilities without compromising control or convenience," said Dakota Semler, CEO of Xos. "It’s a powerful way to lower the cost of infrastructure ownership even further, maximize the value of our products, and support customers in meeting their electrification goals."
