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Jim Castelaz, Founder and CEO of the award-winning Motiv Power Systems a company building all-electric powertrains for trucks and buses out of Silicon Valley, California joins the Green Business Podcast Show.
Listen to interview with host Eric Dye & guest Jim Castelaz discuss the following:
- For those of us not familiar with electric vehicles. What is an all-electric powertrain?
- What makes your all-electric powertrain different?
- I understand you’ve received venture investment over the years, but even more in grant funding from the California Energy Commission. About twelve point three ($12.3) million to date. How has the CEC shaped the direction of the company? Are there similar grant opportunities for communities and businesses in other states?
- You put your PhD at Stanford on hold to found Motiv in 2009. What was it about building electric heavy-duty vehicles that inspired you?
- Tell us about what it was like building North America’s first all-electric garbage truck. I imagine it as a large technical challenge?
Jim Castelaz has been developing electric truck technology for a decade. He is an engineer by training and entrepreneur by experience. As founder and CEO of 6-year-old Motiv Power Systems, Jim is passionate about electric trucks and driven to develop and spread the technology needed for their widespread adoption. His vision is to build Motiv into the “Cummins for Electric”, being the leading electric powertrain supplier into all the truck and bus applications where electric makes sense. He and Motiv have experience working with and leveraging the truck supply chain to deliver reliable, flexible, production-quality electric versions of conventional trucks and buses on small budgets and quick schedules. Motiv’s electric powertrain is used today in school buses, shuttles, delivery trucks, maintenance trucks and even a garbage truck – all of which do their jobs daily with zero fossil fuels and zero tailpipe emissions.
Jim holds an MSEE from Stanford University and a BS in Engineering and Economics from Harvey Mudd College. He lives in Alameda, CA with his wife and 2 kids. He is an avid rock climber, swimmer and skier.
Website: www.motivps.com
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motivps
Twitter: @motivps
