Latest news with #FordE-Transit
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Perrone Robotics Celebrates National AV Day with Milestone Achievements Across AV and ADAS Platforms
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On this official National Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Day, May 31, Perrone Robotics proudly celebrates the progress made in delivering trusted, safe, feature-rich, and operationally-ready autonomous vehicle (AV) solutions across the widest array of platforms and applications in the industry. Through its patented TONY® AV Kit and its TONY® ADAS Kit, Perrone is bringing automation to the real world, today. From downtown transit systems to university campuses, bus yards, corporate fleets, security patrols, and defense operations, Perrone's modular and vehicle-agnostic technology is empowering customers to automate diverse vehicle platforms, including transit vans, 40-foot buses, police cruisers, off-road UTVs, and neighborhood electric vehicles. A Year of Proven Deployments In the past year alone, Perrone's TONY® AV Kit has been outfitted and operating across: Ford E-Transit vans – across multiple geographies for daily autonomous operations Gillig diesel buses – retrofitted for advanced driver assistance New Flyer battery electric buses – for fully automated yard operations Ford Explorers – for autonomous law enforcement research Polaris Ranger XP 1000 – for military-grade, off-road autonomous utility WAEV GEM LSVs – for low-speed community mobility Body-on-Chassis minibus & Dodge van EV conversions – customized for public transit Customer Voices: Proof in Practice "The City of Detroit is committed to advancing real-world applications of autonomous mobility to improve transportation access and efficiency. Through our Connect AV pilot, we deployed the nation's first fleet of autonomous Ford E-Transit vans, powered by Perrone's TONY AV platform. This initiative provides critical insights into how scalable autonomy can enhance first- and last-mile connectivity in urban transit networks," — Tim Slusser, Chief of Mobility Innovation, City of Detroit "Our NEORide partnership with Perrone is retrofitting an entire fleet of diesel buses for ADAS functionality. The impact on safety and operational efficiency is substantial."— Katherine Conrad, Executive Director, NeoRide "The TONY AV Kit retrofit on our electric body-on-chassis minibus marked a major innovation milestone. This was the first time in the U.S. that an EV of this class and configuration was outfitted with a full autonomous vehicle system, showcasing what's now possible in modernizing and future-proofing transit fleets."— Kim Williams, JD, Chief Innovation Officer, Houston METRO "Faculty at The University of Alabama closely collaborate with the campus transit service Crimson Ride, which has the largest ridership in the state of Alabama. We are deploying Perrone's ADAS Kits on our existing buses, and the TONY AV Kit to Ford E-transit vans, bringing real-world safety features and AV readiness to our campus fleet. Also, together with PRI, we are developing end-to-end Software- and Hardware-in the Loop (SiL/Hil) simulation tools to improve ADAS performance."— Dr. Bharat Balasubramania, Executive Director Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies - University of Alabama College of Engineering & Chief Mobility Research and Development Officer, Alabama Transportation Institute "Our work with Perrone Robotics and the special police edition Ford Explorer is opening entirely new frontiers in law enforcement automation. Their TONY AV Kit brings real promise for next-generation officer assistance."— Sean Malinowski, Ph.D., Managing Partner, The Policing Lab "Partnering with Perrone Robotics has enabled our community to experience autonomous mobility across the diverse landscape of North Fork Research Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. Spanning over 500 acres and home to a wide range of tech companies, research labs, and government agencies, including Perrone itself, the operation on premises of transit vans, buses, and specialty autonomous vehicle— Deborah van Eersel, UVA Foundation, Chief Administrative Officer "For over five years, Perrone has been automating our GEM neighborhood EVs with their TONY AV Kit. They have shown what's possible for low-speed, community-focused automated operations."— Paul Vitrano, co-founder, Waev Inc., manufacturer of GEM Celebrating Real-World Progress on AV Day As the industry marks National AV Day on May 31, Perrone Robotics applauds its visionary customers; across public transit, campus mobility, bus yards, defense, security, and utility operations; for pushing automation out of the lab and onto the road. Each project represents real deployments, not future talk. With over 20 years of experience and its patented MAX® software platform and TONY® retrofit kit at the core, Perrone Robotics is uniquely positioned to deliver safe, scalable, and proven autonomy; whether as full AV or as ADAS. "While AV timelines slip and there are frequent projections about what's coming tomorrow accompanied by tightly controlled & limited demos, Perrone delivers today. Autonomy isn't a press release for us. It's a product. It's deployed. It's working."— Paul Perrone, Founder/CEO, Perrone Robotics On this National AV Day, Perrone Robotics invites new customers, agencies, and OEMs to join the movement. Let's build the future of mobility; not with projections, but with delivery and performance. About Perrone Robotics Perrone Robotics is a leading innovator in autonomous vehicle technology, specializing in advanced autonomous vehicle systems for transit, commercial, and government applications. With its patented TONY AV & ADAS Kits and MAX software platforms, Perrone Robotics delivers reliable, scalable, and versatile autonomous solutions designed to transform transportation and mobility. Media Contact:John Mottolamedia@ 434-260-8550 Transit organizations interested in bringing TONY AV and TONY ADAS functions to their fleets can visit for more information. TONY is patented in the U.S. (9,195,233, 9,833,901, 10,331,136, 10,379,007, 11,280,704, 11,314,251, 11,782,442, 12,181,877) and Canada (2643378). Additional U.S. and International patents pending. TONY, MAX, Perrone Robotics, & Mobility of People and Things are trademarks of Perrone Robotics. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Perrone Robotics, Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kia PV5 Is A Modular Electric Van We Need But Might Miss Out On
Kia might have found the sweet spot in the current spectrum of electric vans. The Korean automaker unveiled the full details for the PV5 at its EV Day event in Spain on Thursday. Kia's van falls into a utilitarian midpoint between the futuristic Hyundai Staria and the blandly conventional Ford E-Transit. The PV5 has all the ingredients to be successful, but we'll have to patiently wait to see if it will arrive stateside. The Kia PV5 is offered with 51.5-kWh or 71.2-kWh battery packs; the larger battery option will give 248 miles of range to drivers, slightly more than the Volkswagen ID Buzz's 234-mile range. With its fast-charging capabilities, the PV5's battery can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in only half an hour. While range won't be an issue, the lack of power might dissuade some potential buyers. The PV5's electric motor produces 160 horsepower, a bit lackluster compared to the ID Buzz's 282 horsepower output. Read more: All Aboard South Korea's New $100 Billion Baby-Making Trains A highlight of the PV5 is the flexibility of its modular interior and flat floor. The van's passenger version features a three-row seating configuration where the third row or front passenger seat can be removed and replaced with cargo space. This flexibility is even broader for the model targeting commercial use. The dedicated PV5 Cargo can be ordered with a high roof, offering 54.9 square feet of cargo space, and the cargo version can be optioned with a smaller 43.3-kWh battery. Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song said: By integrating the clean efficiency of an electric powertrain with the unprecedented flexibility of our new PBV architecture and advancing our product, software, and manufacturing innovations, the PV5 embodies our core values as a sustainable mobility solutions vehicles have become incredibly complex, but with the PV5, Kia has united multiple cutting-edge technologies toward the goal of simplifying users' mobility experiences. This removes complexity from their personal transport needs and frees them to focus on the pursuit of their ambitions and fulfillment of their passions. Song also discussed the elephant in the room, or the hen coop in this case. Kia's electric van will be available in Europe and Korea in the second half of 2025, but Americans will have to wait longer. Song noted that Kia will try to bring the PV5 to the United States despite the 25-percent chicken tax, according to Motor1. Kia has further variants of the PV5 planned, including a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, a chassis cab version and a Crew iteration featuring cargo lashing points. It would be a shame for the U.S. to miss out on what could be the best modern take on the timeless panel van. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Ram ProMaster EV Lineup Expands, but Its Base Price Drops by $20K
The 2025 adds two new cargo van configurations, with either a 12-foot or a 13-foot cargo hold. The new cargo setup starts at $58,490, over $20,000 less than the base price for the 2024 step van model, which was the only configuration offered last year. The step van has received its own discount, down by $8000 to a starting price of $71,990. Last year, Ram joined the increasingly crowded electric-commercial-van segment, launching an electric version of its full-size ProMaster to go up against the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, and Chevrolet BrightDrop. The ProMaster EV was hamstrung, however, by offering a single configuration for the 2024 model year, which also made it significantly pricier than the competition. But the American truck brand is rectifying that for 2025, adding two new body variations and dropping the base price by over $20K. The 2024 Ram ProMaster EV was limited to a single Delivery step van model, which featured a Super High Roof body, a sliding pocket door on the passenger's side, and a roll-up rear door. When we drove the ProMaster EV last fall, Ram said it would add more configurations later, and the company has delivered on that promise with two new cargo variants for 2025. The cargo van models will come in two setups, either a 12-foot cargo length or a 13-foot cargo length, with both bodies sitting atop a chassis with a 159.0-inch wheelbase. Instead of the Delivery model's pocket door, the cargo model features a sliding side door. Most importantly, the new cargo van models receive a drastic decrease in the ProMaster EV's base price. While the 2024 Delivery model started at $79,990, the new cargo configurations see the base price drop to $58,490. Even better, the Delivery version—which Ram now refers to as the step van model—has received its own price reduction to $71,990, down by $8000 from 2024. Ram claims the electric ProMaster cargo models can travel up to 164 miles on a charge thanks to a battery pack with 97.0 kWh of usable capacity. For 2025, Ram also says it has increased the step van's range for city driving to 180 miles, up from last year's estimate of 162 miles. A DC fast-charger will take the ProMaster EV from 20 to 80 percent in less than 55 minutes, with a peak charging rate of 150 kW. The cargo version has a payload of 3020 pounds, while the step van is capable of carrying 2876 pounds, an increase from the 2030-pound rating that Ram quoted in 2024. Both models feature a single electric motor sending 268 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Customers can now build and price their ProMaster EV online before connecting with a dealership to complete the transaction. The cargo van variants will begin reaching dealerships in the second quarter of this year. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
