FAQ

International has a team of experts available to support your transition by facilitating a comprehensive buying process, which encompasses more than your vehicle purchase. Our consulting, charging and customer onboarding approach leverages the insights of zero emissions subject matter experts and internal teams to ensure you are purchasing not just the vehicles but the charging solutions and infrastructure that enable your customers’ success.

Because of the damaging effects of fossil fuels on the environment, the need for EVs has never been greater. The transition to zero-emissions vehicles will help to reduce the impact of fossil fuel use on climate change, air and water quality. Depending on the type of vehicle, battery-electric trucks and buses are up to 3.5 times more efficient than diesel and natural gas vehicles at normal speeds (California Air Resources Board, 2018). With fewer parts to replace, maintenance on each vehicle will also be greatly reduced.

Simply put, zero-emissions vehicles are quicker, quieter and cleaner, creating a better experience inside the vehicle and out, while producing zero tailpipe emissions. Furthermore, EV trucks cost less in the long run because they have less parts and require less maintenance.

High-voltage batteries power the truck, communicating with software that sends energy to an electric motor. Battery-electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions and reduce the carbon footprint as the grid continues to get cleaner with power sourced from solar and wind.

Currently, battery-electric vehicles are ideally suited for operations such as:

• Regional haul day cab routes
• Vehicles that return to the depot at the end of the day/shift for charging, example, school buses
• Areas where there are federal or state incentives for infrastructure and fleet investments
• Dense urban areas where total cost of ownership can be on par with traditional powertrains

Necessary infrastructure upgrades are in process. Most utilities are investing in grid updates and are preparing for the future of zero-emissions vehicles. Furthermore, the power grid is well-positioned to handle the increased demands, especially with the integration of renewable energy sources and smart grid management. As for the present, commercial EVs are unlikely to overload the grid, since the vast majority of charging takes place at night, when electricity demand is lowest.

• Electric “handshake” high-voltage interlock
• Charging only possible when the cable is fully connected
• Protection from high voltage during charging, maintenance, or accidents
• Safe in all weather conditions
• Vehicle is immobile while charging: Impossible to drive off while connected

One reason today’s electric trucks and buses can achieve increased range is regenerative braking technology. Instead of using friction from the brake rotors (which is wasted energy) to slow the vehicle, under moderate braking, electric trucks and buses use the electric motor to slow down, while at the same time, charging the battery.

The vehicles from International take this concept a step further by employing three levels of driver-selected regenerative braking:

• Level 1 provides similar stopping capabilities to a traditional automatic transmission vehicle.
• Level 2 provides a moderate amount of regenerative braking.
• Level 3 allows for one-pedal style driving and will slow the vehicle to a few miles per hour with the driver using the service brake to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

Although factors such as battery composition, temperature, charging rate, etc., affect EV battery performance, it is not unusual for them to last the life of the vehicle. For additional peace of mind, International and IC Bus electric vehicles offer extended battery warranties.

According to the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, every charging installation faces a variety of variables — number of trucks to charge, local utility rate tariffs and power delivery structure, existing site and local grid details (NACFE, 2019). Our electric vehicle experts and charging partners work closely with each customer to make sure your installation is as efficient as possible while serving your business needs.

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Any charger with a minimum 600 volts will work. That includes:

• Network-capable chargers
• Level 2 AC 80-amp- 1772 SAE standard connection
• Minimum for overnight charging (not recommended)
• DC charging station (30 kW) - Combination CCS1 adapter port
• More efficient than AC, recommended minimum
• DC fast-charge station (up to 125 kW) - Combination CCS1 adapter port
• More efficient than AC, fastest option
• DC public fast-charging (up to 125 kW)
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Learn more about our charger offerings.

AC charging typically takes overnight, DC fast-charging, in just a few hours. Environmental factors such as battery age and condition and ambient temperature are additional factors. Our electric vehicle experts carefully consider the needs of each customer to recommend the best installation for your charging needs.

Network capable chargers can receive over-the-air (OTA) updates to diagnose charging issues. They also allow the fleet manager to monitor charging status.

The rate of flow of electrons through a circuit, a.k.a. current

The amount of power that your fleet requires while charging, averaged over the charging window

Battery-electric vehicle

The amount of power supplied to BEVs during charging

The rate at which a BEV is charged, measured in kilowatts (kW)

A round four-pin plug that is exclusively used for rapid charging points and is often compatible with electric vehicles manufactured in Asia, such as Mitsubishi and Nissan. CHAdeMO offers Vehicle to Grid (V2G) but has less power than CCS and requires two separate sockets.

The period of time in your fleet’s duty cycle when vehicles can charge

The path along which electricity flows

A wireless internet-based service carrying information on EVSE status, energy consumption, location, and payment for use between the owner and the user(s)

A type of connector that has been standardized. It combines two DC pins below the Type 2 AC connector and uses 3 of the Type 2 pins. This connector is found on most Type 2 BEVs.

Direct current fast charge, usually stated as DC fast charge

A fee applied to your greatest power draw during peak periods, on top of the rate that you pay for the energy ($/kW)

The process of delivering power from transmission lines to the customer

The portion of time during which a vehicle is operated

Your baseline price of electricity, charged based on the amount of energy you consume ($/kWh)

Electric vehicle

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, or the charger unit

A fee covering the regulator-approved costs that the utility pays to supply your power such as distribution and transmission ($/month)

A rate structure under which you are billed at a single price per kilowatt-hour consumed regardless of time, season or application

The process of producing electricity from a fuel source

When you connect the plug into the vehicle the car will electronically handshake with the charging station. Once the handshake is made, the relay in the charging station will open, allowing electrons to flow to the car. When you disconnect the plug, the electricity stops flowing through the cable.

Internal Combustion Engine

An international standard that outlines the digital communication protocol that an electric vehicle and a charging station should use to recharge an electric vehicle’s battery

One kilowatt is equal to 1,000 watts

Kilowatt-hour, a unit of measure for electrical energy. 1 kWh is the energy delivered by 1 kW of power for 1 hour

Level 1 charging uses a common 120-volt household outlet. Every electric vehicle can be charged on Level 1 by plugging the charging equipment into a regular wall outlet. Level 1 is the slowest way to charge an EV. It is too slow to be used for buses or commercial vehicles.

Level 2 charging is the most commonly used level for daily EV charging of automobiles. Level 2 charging equipment can be installed at home, at the workplace, as well as in public locations like shopping plazas, train

Level 3 charging is the fastest type of charging available. Unlike Level 1 and Level 2 charging that uses alternating current (AC), Level 3 charging uses direct current (DC). It is the most common level of charging for school buses and commercial trucks.

A graph showing the amount(s) of power that your fleet requires over the course of a day

A device that records the amount of power (kW) and energy (kWh)

The official metric that the EPA uses to measure the efficiency of alternative-fuel (including electric) vehicles. This makes it the most common number you’ll come across when researching an electric vehicle. Just like regular MPG shows how far a car will travel on one gallon of gas, MPGe shows how far a vehicle will drive on 33.7 kWh of electricity – the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline

An internet-based service that allows an EVSE owner to analyze basic activity data from one or more EVSE

A strategy to reduce power consumption during periods of high demand

An adjustment to your demand charge according to how efficiently your facility consumes power

A set of parameters used to define the prices that a customer may be charged at different times of the day

Regenerative braking uses the vehicle’s motors to slow down the vehicle rather than the friction brakes.  This sends energy back into the batteries for future use, which extends range.

Additional distribution fees covering the costs of weather stressors on the electric grid during winter or summer

The equivalent of a fuel gauge for the rechargeable battery within an electric vehicle. SOC is measured by percentage points and ranges from 0% to 100%. This enables the EV driver to see how much charge their vehicle is currently holding.

A set of electric equipment that reduces high-voltage power to a voltage suitable for distribution to customers

A rate structure under which you are billed different prices for power you consume according to the time and season when it is consumed

A device that changes electricity from one level of voltage to another

The process of moving power in large quantities across long distances

Pressure created by a difference in electrical charge between two points

One watt is defined as the current flow of one ampere with voltage of one volt

Zero-Emission Vehicle