Dive Brief:

• Ian Wright, a co-founder of Tesla Motors, launched Wrightspeed, a company that outfits commercial vehicles, including sanitation trucks, with electric power. 
• Wrightspeed has now scored a contract to convert 17 sanitation vehicles for the waste and recycling firm The Ratto Group, based out of the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Propelling the market for Wrightspeed is California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) standards. Older and heavy commercial trucks were subject to the changes, which mandated that some commercial vehicles be taken off the road by January 1. By 2023 virtually all trucks and busses will need engines produced in 2010 or later. 

Dive Insight:

As a direct result of these new standards adopted in California, Wright announced that employees in San Jose, CA will be transferred to Alameda, CA. He expects the staff to increase to ten times its current numbers by 2018.

Wright says companies can save around $60,000 in fuel costs and a $30,000 in maintenance annually after converting vehicles from diesel to electricity.