CALSTART History / Orange EV / Plug and Charge / Rivian

Audio: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5tLFTApN7Rz6e9XryEaR77?si=bf7873cbe4854a5f  

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newze/id1797582892 

https://sites.libsyn.com/563770 

 

This week’s content: October 13th, 2025 

 

Bollinger to Support Zero-Emission FedEx Routes  

Bollinger Innovations, the parent company for Bollinger Motors, has signed an agreement with Ariel Fleet Holdings to supply 34 vehicles for FedEx last-mile delivery routes in North Carolina and Virgina. Based in Huntersville, NC, Ariel will work with two local FedEx Independent Service Providers to deploy a mix of Mullen THREE and Mullen ONE vehicles in the mid-Atlantic Region.  

“The Mullen THREE and the Mullen ONE are zero emissions vehicles that deliver powerful performance and are capable of handling a variety of demanding tasks,” said Jim Connelly, chief revenue officer for Bollinger Motors, a Bollinger Innovations company. “We know these vehicles will provide significant operational value and we look forward to seeing how they perform with one of the world’s leading delivery companies.” 

All vehicles are available for sale in the U.S. and in full compliance with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) certifications denoting strict adherence to clean air emissions standards. 

 

 

Electrify America and Nissan Collaboration 

Beginning with the 2026 LEAF, Nissan is the latest automaker to adopt Electrify America’s Plug&Charge technology, making public charging that much easier for consumers. The Plug&Charge feature simplifies the public charging process by allowing drivers to initiate a session and process payment just by plugging in their vehicle. This eliminates the need to interact with charger screens, payment cards, or mobile apps at the station. Plug&Charge is enabled by vehicle-to-grid communication technology that uses the secure ISO 15118 protocol. This international standard ensures that all communication between the car and the charging station is encrypted and secure. All of Electrify America’s 5,000+ chargers have Plug&Charge capabilities. In 2024, the network delivered over 16 million charging sessions and more than 600 gigawatt-hours of energy, representing a 65% increase from the previous year. The company anticipates continued growth and is focused on expanding its network to meet the evolving needs of EV drivers. 

 

Rivian’s Major Software Update 

Nissan isn’t the only automaker upgrading their software – Rivian’s latest software update brings intelligent charging features that reduce costs and improve its driver assistance system for consumers on the road. The update introduces a Smart Charging Schedule Recommendation that allows the vehicle to automatically schedule its charging sessions for times with the lowest utility rates, potentially resulting in significant savings for Rivian owners. An optimized charging strategy also supports a more stable energy grid and can increase the use of clean energy by over 10%. Rivian’s autonomy system also received an upgrade: a new feature, Co-Steer, allows drivers to adjust their vehicle’s position within the lane while Highway Assist is active without disengaging the system engaged. The availability of Enhanced Highway Assist has been expanded by more than 50%, allowing for longer periods of hands-free driving. An updated AI-powered perception system improves the vehicle’s ability to center itself within the lane, particularly on highways with tight curves. Lastly, the audio experience has been refined, making music sound more dynamic and immersive, along with giving drivers the ability to customize equalizer profiles.  

 

 

Orange EV Surpasses 10 million Hours  

Orange EV’s fleet of heavy-duty electric vehicles has achieved a huge milestone: over 10 million hours of all-electric operation. Over the past 10 years, Orange EV has deployed more than 1,600 trucks across 40 states and four Canadian provinces, totaling 27,000 million miles of service across low-speed, extreme duty conditions. These trucks have eliminated roughly 200,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and saved fleets more than $100 million USD in fuel and maintenance costs alone.  

“Ten million hours makes one thing clear: Orange EV has taken electric terminal trucks from possible to proven,” said Kurt Neutgens, President and CTO of Orange EV. “Our 340 customers are operating at an average of 97% uptime, with no compromises, proving you can cut costs, boost performance, and improve health and safety all at once.” 

 

Clean Fuels Summit 2025  

At the Clean Fuels Summit 2025, CALSTART’s Emma Frantz joined a panel discussion on the role of utilities in electrifying transit. Thank you to CALSTART member Louisiana Clean Fuels for organizing this event and bringing together a strong mix of industry experts with practical solutions for clean transportation. 

 

 

 

Forest River Bus on Driving Reliability and Support in Transit 

Forest River Bus, a CALSTART member company, is featured in the latest episode of the Transition to Zero Podcast. Douglas Wright of Forest River Bus, sat down with CALSTART’s Jared Schnader to discuss how stability and strong support networks are essential for delivering reliable, and accessible transit, especially as the industry shifts toward zero-emission transit technologies. 

Listen in for insights from one of the nation’s leading bus manufacturers: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dqQj3DtSsm2NjyyuXSFh4?si=hAh30jBBSKa5lVrrTcBi9A 

 

 

Upcoming Webinar: Cybersecurity and Functional Safety  

October 23, 9:00-10:00am CT  

Join Turntide Technologies on October 23rd for an engaging session on how cybersecurity and functional safety are brought together in today’s electric and hybrid systems. You’ll gain insights into the regulatory landscape, learn how integrated approaches reduce rework and enable reuse, and see how these practicces support faster time-to-market without compromising safety or security.  

Learn more and register here: https://turntide.com/events/cybersecurity-functional-safety-built-together-not-bolted-on/?utm_source=CALSTART 

 

 

Bollinger Innovations Sign Agreement with Ariel Fleet Holdings, GlobeNewswire https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/10/02/3160363/0/en/Bollinger-Innovations-Signs-Agreement-with-Ariel-Fleet-Holdings-to-Provide-FedEx-ISPs-Advanced-Logistics-Systems-and-Springbok-Holdings-with-34-Commercial-EVs-for-Last-Mile-Deliver.html  

 

Electrify America Adds Nissan Plug&Charge Support, The EV Report https://theevreport.com/electrify-america-adds-nissan-plugcharge-support  

 

Rivian Software Update Enhances Charging, Autonomy, The EV Report https://theevreport.com/rivian-software-update-enhances-charging-autonomy  

 

What Messy Middle? Orange EV Has Logged Over 10 million All-electric Miles, Electrek https://electrek.co/2025/10/04/what-messy-middle-orange-ev-has-logged-over-10-million-all-electric-miles/