Alexander Dennis Ltd of Larbert, part of NFI Group, has secured a further 172 electric bus orders through the Scottish Government’s award of GBP40.5m in funding to bus operators through a second round of the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme.

A European Union consortium consisting of 25 leading organisations in the hydrogen sector has been established to define, develop and test the first European standard for fuel cell modules for heavy duty applications.

Paris-based Forsee Power, producer of smart battery systems for electro-mobility markets, has secured a loan of EUR50m from the European Investment Bank (EIB) taking finance borrowings in 2020 and to date to EUR105m for investment and in support of its growth into new electromobility markets and geographies.

FPT Industrial is leading a Swiss-funded project aimed at reaching European CO2 emission targets* in 2025 and 2030 by making use of alternative fuels and e-fuels* as possible paths to addressing these challenges.

Horiba MIRA Ltd has invested GBP1.5m installing a new Large Climatic Vibration Laboratory and Battery Abuse Facility at its Nuneaton Proving Ground.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority in December 2019 said it was looking to cancel its THB20bn new bus purchase plan, as the country’s economy continued to slow sharply in the fourth quarter of the year.

The UK government has pledged GBP5bn to be spent on bus services and to encourage cycling over the next five years, which includes the introduction of at least 4,000 new zero emission buses.

Following a pledge by the UK government to create Britain’s first ‘all-electric bus towns’, automotive engineering, testing and R&D consultancy, Horiba MIRA Ltd, is advising operators to consider converting their existing bus fleets from diesel powered units to electric drive systems as a way to helping the UK to achieve a cleaner public transport network.

New Flyer Industries Canada ULC announced the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium and Brampton Transit have jointly secured CD11.15m in federal funding from Natural Resources Canada to support the adoption of zero-emission transit buses.

The California Energy Commission has announced qualifying buses passing its Technical Evaluation phase, can now be ordered through the Clean Transportation Programme’s Grant, GFO-18-604.

Electric commercial vehicle and mobility specialist start up, Workhorse Group Inc says it has raised USD25m through a private offering of Series B preferred non-convertible stock (but the holders are entitled to annual dividends payable in shares of common stock) with a group of institutional investors.

The European Commission (EC - the executive body of the European Union) together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) have launched the CEF Transport Blending Facility, a new financial instrument to support projects contributing to the environmental sustainability and efficiency of the transport sector in Europe.