Partners

BYD is the leading manufacturer of advanced, environmentally-friendly battery technologies, solar panels and LED lighting systems, and its automobile subsidiary, BYD Motors, has the largest all-electric bus fleet in operation worldwide. The company enjoys rapid growth in consumer electronics space and automobile manufacturing under its BYD brand. The Long Beach Transit Authority in California recently contracted with BYD and WAVE to purchase ten electric buses with WAVE charging pads and two WAVE primary chargers.  These BYD "Powered by WAVE" buses will be operating on Long Beach's premiere "Passport" route, which includes numerous tourist attractions, including the Queen Mary.  WAVE and BYD plan to offer the "Powered by WAVE" bus into the U.S., Latin America, and Asian markets by the end of 2013.

Complete Coach Works (CCW) will use WAVE's 50kW Range Extender™ on its ZEPS (Zero Emissions Propulsion System) all-electric 40 foot transit bus. The first implementation of this ZEPS "Powered by WAVE" bus will be on a 40 foot shuttle servicing the Utah Transit Authority light rail TRAX South Campus station. The shuttle, operated by the University of Utah, will deliver TRAX passengers from the South Campus station into the heart of campus on a commercial, in-service schedule. The ZEPS Bus is a Buy America compliant, remanufactured bus and saves customers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Complete Coach Works' approach of remanufacturing transit buses using an all-electric propulsion system helps reduce carbon emissions due to activities involved in manufacturing a new bus, helps in waste reduction, and is significantly less expensive than purchasing a new bus.

For over a decade, Ebus has deployed highly-efficient, 22 foot battery-electric vehicles from California to Connecticut. Ebus is partnering with WAVE on USU’s initial 25kW, single pad operational bus demonstration. WAVE is actively marketing Ebus' shuttle and trolley systems "Powered by WAVE" for niche markets such as downtown shuttles, tourist attractions, technology and college campuses.

In the Fall of 2012, WAVE received seed financing from Kickstart, a leading fund whose mission is to kick start companies in the Mountain West by aligning technology creators, industry, entrepreneurs, and capital sources behind the funding and mentoring of seed investments. WAVE will draw on Kickstart's extensive network to assist in identifying and developing strategic relationships with vehicle manufacturers, systems integrators, financial institutions, and transportation operators.

WAVE is partnering with the Monterey Salinas Transit Authority to implement an all electric, zero emissions trolley that will operate along Monterey's historic waterfront, connecting the Aquarium with Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, and the Downtown commercial district. This demonstration project is being funded with a Clean Fuels FTA award and California State contributions.

Utah State University and the office of Commercial Enterprises, a division of Commercialization and Regional Development, provides a one-stop-shop for industry partnership and intellectual property development. Commercial Enterprises has worked closely with academic and industry partners to develop new technologies by "spinning-in" business innovation opportunities. WAVE, a USU spin-out company, worked in cooperation with the USTAR Advanced Transportation Institute to develop the Aggie Bus. The Aggie Bus represents a market-ready product that will serve as a prototype as WAVE moves on to full-scale projects.

UTA and the University of Utah were awarded a $2.7 million competitive FTA grant to develop a commercial-scale electric shuttle service from UTA’s South Campus TRAX light rail station to various locations on the University of Utah campus. The project will demonstrate Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology solutions for public transit agencies that are interested in overcoming the battery limitations inherent in the operation of electric buses. UTA is administering the project.

The University of Utah's Office of Commuter Services and Office of Sustainability are working with WAVE to test out various wireless power applications for vehicles that operate in and around the University's Salt Lake City campus. The first demonstration is a commercial in-service 40 foot BYD bus that will be charged wirelessly near the South Campus TRAX light rail station. This shuttle will link students, faculty, and guests visiting the campus as they off-load from the light rail station on South Campus Drive with central parts of the campus including the Student Union Center and the engineering buildings located on the north part of campus. WAVE and the U of U are also analyzing demonstration projects to charge other campus service vehicles, as well as creating a campus-wide charging infrastructure for private vehicles.

The objective of the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) is to bolster Utah’s research strengths and significantly increase technology commercialization to create many more high caliber jobs throughout the state. USTAR has continued its support of WAVE as a spin-off company, providing strategic guidance, networking, and support through innovation grants from the Governor's Office of Economic Development.