GreenPower Motor Company Inc. has delivered its first refrigerated box trucks to the University of California, San Diego.

GreenPower (GPV-X), founded in Vancouver, has its primary operational facilities in Southern California.

The refrigerator unit gets its power directly from the high-voltage battery and according to the company, the design is 20 per cent more efficient and 10 per cent lighter than any comparable low-voltage unit sold in the U.S.

The vehicle has a payload of up to 2,268 kilograms and consists of an energy-efficient cooling system, a 4.9-metre insulated and lined box, and a lift gate. The EV Star platform is a zero-emission cab and chassis with a battery pack of 118 kilowatt-hours, a range of up to 240 kilometres and will charge up to 19.2 kilowatts with Level 2 charging or 60 kilowatts using a DC fast charge.

"More payload and longer range makes the EV Star Refrigerated Box Truck a real game-changer for the transportation of goods that require refrigeration. Utilizing GreenPower's EV Star Cab and Chassis and working with our partner Lion Truck Body, we can configure the vehicle to meet the customer's requirements while integrating all the systems and electrical requirements into our vehicle,” Claus Tritt, GreenPower’s vice-president of medium-duty and commercial vehicle sales said in a statement.

"We estimate the refrigerated trucking total addressable market in North America will be more than $5.9 billion by 2028. As operators are electrifying their fleets, GreenPower will see significant growth in the marketplace with this innovative product.”

Li-Cycle releases 2022 interim ESG report

Lithium-ion battery recycler Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. released its 2022 interim ESG report, which states its recycling technologies can provide carbon dioxide emissions reductions of approximately 67 per cent per tonne of battery input.

It also provides emissions reductions of approximately 86 per cent for sulfur oxides, 89 per cent for nitrous oxides and reduces water usage by up to 97 per cent. 

The company haas looked into a number of frameworks, including the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation’s Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Waste Management Standard, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Its first full ESG report, which will include the ESG performance from its 2023 financial year, is expected to be fully compliant with SASB Standards.

It expects to achieve alignment with the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) in 2025.

"Sustainability is core to Li-Cycle’s DNA and our business is deeply rooted in prioritizing environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and corporate governance. Our ongoing commitment to ESG is at the heart of our business strategy and vision to create a greener supply of battery-grade materials to support the clean energy transition ethically, responsibly and sustainably,” Tim Johnston, Li-Cycle's (LICY-N) co-founder and executive chairman said in a statement.

Lion Electric doubles Q4 revenue

St. Jérôme, Que.-based Lion Electric Company announced it achieved profitability in 2022 by doubling its year-over-year revenue in the fourth-quarter and making a gain in net income.

Lion Electric (LEV-T) designs and manufactures Class 5 to Class 8 commercial urban trucks and all-electric buses and minibuses for schools, paratransit and mass transit.

Q4 2022 revenues were approximately $64.05 million, compared with $31.34 million in the same period of 2021. The company delivered 174 vehicles in Q4 2022, up from 71 in Q4 2021.

Net income increased to approximately $24.26 million last year, compared to a loss of around $59.02 million in 2021.

"We are pleased with our 2022 performance, as once again, despite external challenges, we delivered a record number of electric vehicles," said Marc Bedard, Lion Electric’s founder and CEO, in a statement.

"In parallel, we produced our first electric school bus at our Joliet, Ill. manufacturing plant and we produced our first battery pack at our Mirabel, Que. battery manufacturing facility, while efficiently managing our cash position throughout the year."

The company has over 950 vehicles on the road, with over 10 million miles driven.

As of March 9, it had a vehicle order book of 2,468 all-electric medium- and heavy-duty urban vehicles consisting of 301 trucks and 2,167 buses, representing a combined total order value of approximately $575 million based on its estimates.

In February, Lion Electric entered an agreement with Mitsubishi HC Capital Canada, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi HC Capital America, to offer financing to Lion school bus and truck customers in the U.S. and Canada via LionCapital Solutions' vehicle financing program.