Calstart’s Freight Electrification-as-a-Service for Transformation (FEaST) will spread out the cost of electrification for fleets to achieve an affordable way of electrifying truck fleets in cities. FEaST will include ten Class 8 electric trucks deployed by Anheuser-Busch from its Hunts Point depot in the Bronx, New York, with trucks and chargers financed by Zeem Solutions.
Zeem Solutions is pioneering a new way for fleets to adopt battery-electric commercial vehicles by providing the vehicles, charging, parking and maintenance with maximum availability and minimal capital investment," said Nikola President, Commercial Pablo Koziner.
Zeem Solutions’ FaaS model provides a cushion for fleets planning for ACF compliance, giving them operational experience and the benefit of reserving these vehicles before all have been committed to operators who are moving quickly to secure EVs.
Businesses in Southern California that can’t afford to invest in purchasing electric vehicles can find a low-risk transition to electric vehicles and reduce emissions with EV fleet-as-a-service companies.
Zeem Solutions CEO Paul Gioupis, whose California-based company leases electric vans and trucks from Class 2b through Class 8, also thinks wireless charging is a good fit for tractor-trailers. “We're in the middle of these use cases,” said Gioupis, whose EV lineup includes the Volvo VNR Electric. “We have these big tractors. They have to back into these big terminals and so what happens now is, ‘Where are you going to position a piece of [charging] hardware where they get a plug and plug in?
Zeem Solutions is helping small fleets get into EVs without investing in the infrastructure and higher buy-ins for zero-emission equipment and logistics. California’s BMC Transport recently added four trucks to its small fleet using Zeem’s FaaS solution.
Host Gabrielle Bejarano sits down with Paul Gioupis, CEO of Zeem Solutions. The two discuss how Gioupis got into the trucking industry, as well as where Zeem fits into the trucking and drayage industry as a whole.
Zeem is looking to expand its operations using a $50 million capital commitment from infrastructure and energy investor Arclight Capital Partners LLC. The investment firm has a track record of investing in businesses and assets that contribute to a decarbonized future. Zeem co-founder and CEO Paul Gioupis said many businesses would like to use EVs but are deterred by up-front costs and the time it takes to make the switch to an emissions-free fleet.
For a flat monthly fee, Zeem provides fleet managers with electric trucks, cargo vans, transit shuttles and other vehicles according to their needs, along with a facility that includes fast-charging stations, parking and a break room for drivers. Including EV charging, maintenance and insurance along with the cost of leasing the vehicles, Zeem calculates that its flat-fee system is less than the cost of owning a gas or diesel fleet.
Zeem Solutions is doing something different when it comes to electric vehicles. It is providing a complete product of vehicles, chargers and associated services, such as maintenance and parking. “We are the first group that is doing this with actual chargers in the ground, with a meaningful fleet and customers that are utilizing the services today,” said Paul Gioupis, co-founder and chief executive officer of the Inglewood-based company.