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Climate United Launches Historic $250M Electric Drayage Truck Program to Provide Affordable, Accessible Financing for Zero-Emission Vehicles

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In partnership with Forum Mobility, the largest order of all-electric drayage trucks in U.S. history will support small fleet owners in the transition to zero-emission and improve public health.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Climate United announced a new program to offer affordable leasing options to small fleets and independent operators to lower operational costs and reduce air pollution in port communities, beginning at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with the intention to expand nationally. Leveraging a $6.97 billion award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund, Climate United Fund intends to invest up to $250 million to purchase up to 500 class 8 electric trucks, making it the largest single order of electric trucks in U.S. history. This program will accelerate the growth of electric truck manufacturing and battery technology innovation that is needed to deploy zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicles in communities across America.

“Electric drayage trucks cost less to operate, but high upfront costs make it difficult for independent owner-operators and small fleets to transition to all-electric,” said Beth Bafford, CEO of Climate United. “Through tax credits, incentives, and attractive financing, we are significantly reducing a cost barrier to sustain small businesses and help them lead the transition to electric vehicles. Investing in an inclusive green economy means supporting and growing small businesses, reducing pollution, improving public health in local communities that have historically borne the brunt of truck pollution, while building supply chains that make America more competitive globally.”

Climate United is partnering with California-based Forum Mobility to develop a program that meets the needs of small fleet operators. Forum Mobility is building a network of staffed and secure electric truck charging depots in California ports and along common freight routes, and provides charging services to help fleets navigate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Elemental Impact, a non-profit investor in climate technologies, is further assisting Forum Mobility with policy support, community engagement, and additional wrap-around program services. California regulation requires all of California’s drayage fleet of approximately 33,000 trucks to be zero-emission by 2035. Forum Mobility’s partnership with Climate United will help ensure small operators are not left behind in that transition.

“Eighty percent of California’s drayage registry is comprised of small fleets, and it’s our job to make sure the transition to zero-emissions leaves no one behind, that fleets of all sizes have the opportunity to prosper,” said Matt LeDucq, CEO and co-founder of Forum Mobility. “The network of truck charging depots we are building will give fleets access to reliable charging, where they need it. For us, success means not just cleaner air for port communities, but also lower costs per mile for truckers, and this partnership between Forum Mobility and Climate United is a gamechanger.”

The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles account for more than 30% of all container imports to the United States, and pollutants from diesel drayage trucks harm the health of nearby port communities, which are disproportionately low-income communities and communities of color. Regional pollution of PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides leads to an estimated 483 premature deaths and more than 15,000 asthma attacks per year, two-thirds of which occur in low-income communities. This project will mitigate these negative health impacts while decreasing emissions by an estimated 50,000 tons of CO2 per year.

“The Port of Long Beach plays a critical role in our nation’s supply chain and our local economy, and this project is an opportunity to become a global leader in the transition to zero-emission trucks,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “By helping small fleet owners transition to electric trucks, we can support local businesses while creating cleaner air and better public health for local communities.”

“For zero-emission battery-electric truck deployments to scale, cost has to be at the forefront of any discussion,” said Matt Schrap, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association (HTA). “HTA appreciates innovative solutions that can help support fleets in this push for zero-emission. It is always encouraging to see a program that reduces upfront costs by pairing both infrastructure and the truck together. They are inexorably intertwined, you can’t have one without the other and when the two are combined, it solves a lot of challenges for carriers.”

Climate United Fund is requesting proposals from qualified manufacturers to deliver up to 500 electric drayage trucks and will be prioritizing vehicles with domestically made parts and assembled in the U.S., creating good-paying green jobs for American workers. Interested applicants can learn more and apply at ClimateUnited.org.

About Climate United
Climate United is a national nonprofit coalition leveraging $6.97 billion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund program to invest in green solutions and remove financial barriers to clean technologies so every American benefits from good-paying jobs, lower energy bills, and better public health. Formed by Calvert Impact, Community Preservation Corporation, and Self-Help, the coalition brings decades of experience in impact investing to increase environmental sustainability and unlock new, lasting economic opportunities in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Learn more at ClimateUnited.org.

About Forum Mobility
Forum Mobility is a leading zero emission trucking solutions provider. Forum builds and operates heavy duty electric truck charging depots, and provides customers with charging – or a truck plus charging together – to make the transition to zero emission vehicles as easy as possible. Learn more at forummobility.com.

Media Contacts
Brooke Durham
Climate United, Director of Communications
(404) 840 4170
bdurham@climateunited.org

Adam Browning
Forum Mobility, EVP of Policy and Communications
(510) 520 0630
abrowning@forummobility.com

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 84094001 to Climate United Fund. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.

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SOURCE Forum Mobility

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Presight and Viettel Sign a MOU to Boost Applied AI, and Digital Transformation Initiatives

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ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Presight, the UAE’s leading big data analytics company powered by generative AI, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Viettel AI, a leading artificial intelligence research center in Vietnam, member of Viettel Group. The MoU aims to promote cooperation between both entities and advance the development of Applied AI and digital transformation initiatives. The MoU was signed in Abu Dhabi by Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, and Nguyen Manh Quy, CEO of Viettel AI.

The signing ceremony took place in Dubai within the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working session with businesses of the two countries.

As part of the agreement, Presight and Viettel AI will enhance collaboration to leverage technology, data, and innovative approaches to address challenges related to transportation, safety, and environmental impact. Key areas of collaboration include digital development initiatives, enterprise and generative AI development, customer and industry-tailored big data analytics solutions, deployment of AI-powered solutions for enterprises and smart cities, and collaboration on AI workforce.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that Vietnam and the UAE are increasingly strengthening connections via telecommunications and fiber optic cables and may soon connect more closely through artificial intelligence.

Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, said: “We are excited to embark on this strategic collaboration with Viettel AI. By combining our expertise and resources in Applied AI, we aim to drive significant advancements in digital transformation initiatives. Viettel AI excels in various aspects of data analytics and NLP, and I am grateful that Presight, together with Viettel, has the opportunity to contribute to Vietnam’s progress towards digital transformation.”

Nguyen Manh Quy, CEO of Viettel AI, said: “With Viettel AI’s research capabilities in the fields of AI, Big Data, Robotics and Digital Twin, and our experience in deploying many national AI platforms and projects of Viettel, combined with Presight’s market understanding and advanced technology, we are confident that we will create breakthroughs in the field of artificial intelligence. In particular, focusing on developing products and services using native languages will help us bring better experiences to users in each countries.”

As a pioneering technology enterprise in Vietnam, Viettel Group currently has the largest data center infrastructure in Vietnam. Viettel Group is also a pioneer in developing large Vietnamese language models, with AI products for court virtual assistants, civil servant virtual assistants and AI for processing specialized tasks for financial enterprises. Currently, Viettel virtual assistants are being used effectively in ministries/sectors, provincial/municipal governments and financial enterprises.

Notes for Editors
For more information, please contact Presight@edelman.com or media@presight.ai

About Presight
Presight, a publicly traded company listed on the ADX, with G42, based in Abu Dhabi, as its majority shareholder, is the region’s leading big data analytics company powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). It combines big data, analytics, and AI expertise to serve all sectors, at any scale, creating both business and social impact. With its world-class computer vision platform, AI, and omni-analytics at its core, Presight excels in interpreting data from all sources to support informed decision-making that shapes policies and creates safer, healthier, happier, and more sustainable societies. For press inquiries, please contact media@presight.ai.

About Viettel AI
Established in 2014, Viettel AI is a pioneer in researching core technologies and developing products and services in the fields of AI, Big Data, Robotics and Digital Twin. Currently, the Viettel AI ecosystem includes leading quality product lines in Vietnam, trusted and used by many large domestic and international organizations and enterprises.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/presight-and-viettel-sign-a-mou-to-boost-applied-ai-and-digital-transformation-initiatives-302291238.html

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City Coin Group Launches Tranche 2 Investment Opportunities to Accelerate International Expansion Further

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — City Coin Group (CCG), Malaysia’s largest self-service laundry operator, is poised to accelerate its growth following the successful completion of Project Coin Tranche 1 in July 2024, which raised RM5 million for franchise model enhancements and technology upgrades. With 750 outlets currently operating internationally—including in Turkey and across Southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand, and Brunei—CCG is now launching Tranche 2 investment opportunities to fuel its global growth.

“Our Project Coin initiative has been a tremendous success,” said Paul Ang, Founder and CEO of City Coin Group. “The completion of Tranche 1 not only underscored our robust business model, but also validated our vision for growth with the support we received from investors. With Tranche 2, we are offering a solid investment backed by favourable RAM ratings, which assures investors of our stability and financial strength.”

The funds from Tranche 2 will be used to enhance CCG’s franchise model, improve its technological capabilities and expand its market presence internationally, including Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and the Maldives. These regions have shown strong demand for self-service laundry solutions and offer significant growth opportunities for the CCG brand. 

Investors can expect competitive returns on a two-year Islamic Investment Note with an annual profit rate of 7.65%. As part of its expansion strategy, CCG will hire additional operational and support staff to facilitate the launch of new outlets and provide extensive training for franchisees. Additionally, CCG will invest in upgrading outlets with the latest Tosei 3-in-1 washer-dryer technology and continue to develop services such as a pick-up and delivery option and a user-friendly app to improve customer engagement and streamline operations.

In June 2024, CCG was granted an R4 rating by RAM Rating, reflecting a strong balance of adequate security and high returns for investors. Moreover, CCG has been recognised as the Best Franchisor in Asia Pacific and has been included in the Malaysia Book of Records for having the most self-service laundromats, highlighting its commitment to excellence and innovation in the industry.

“The favourable RAM rating confirms our financial credibility, and the success of Tranche 1 gives us confidence for Tranche 2. With the growing demand for cashless and sustainable laundry solutions, the timing is ideal for international expansion. Project Coin Tranche 2 will be instrumental in replicating our success in new markets,” said Ang.

Upon completion of Tranche 2, Project Coin will continue with Tranches 3 and 4, targeting a total investment of RM20 million.

To register and invest in BR Capital’s Project Coin Tranche 2, please visit  https://brcportal.bursamalaysia.com/login  and to explore potential business partnerships, connect through Laundrybar’s official Linktree: https://linktr.ee/laundrybarsocialmedia .

About City Coin Group

Launched in 2013, City Coin Group (CCG) is Malaysia’s first and largest self-service laundromat operator with more than 750 outlets across Southeast Asia, including Turkey. CCG has disrupted traditional business models through innovative marketing strategies to deliver fast and efficient services. The group offers comprehensive solutions, including the largest self-service laundry franchisor in Malaysia (Laundrybar), suppliers of high-quality laundry machines and spare parts (CC Laundry Solutions), manufacturers of proprietary formulated laundry chemicals (City Coin Chem), operators of self-service laundry and data analysis centres (City Coin Technology) and providers of cashless payment solutions for laundromats (PayNWash). With over a decade of experience, CCG has won numerous awards, reinforcing its industry leadership, and aims to improve the socio-economic status of communities in Malaysia and beyond through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/city-coin-group-launches-tranche-2-investment-opportunities-to-accelerate-international-expansion-further-302291243.html

SOURCE City Coin Group

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Italy: ECOMONDO, the international sustainability hub, is about to begin

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At the leading trade show for green technologies, 650 hosted buyers from North Africa, Europe, North and Latin America are expected to attend, as well as delegations from 100 countries and 72 organisations, institutions and associations worldwide.

RIMINI, Italy, Oct. 30, 2024 /CNW/ — Ecomondo (Rimini Expo Centre, 5-8 November 2024), Italian Exhibition Group’s leading European green economy event, is about to begin. “With delegations from over 100 countries, the participation of 72 organisations, institutions and sector associations worldwide, the exhibition confirms its role as an international hub of primary importance for the green economy and acts as a real community catalyst through a series of international appointments that does not end with the exhibition but extends throughout the year,” IEG CEO Corrado Peraboni announced.

Maurizio Ermeti, President of IEG, added, “A four-day business event that foresees the participation of 650 hosted buyers from North Africa, Europe, North and Latin America, and that is registering a notable increase in incoming from Asia, specifically Central Asia, China, South East Asia, Pakistan and India.”

An increasingly international event, thanks to effective cooperation with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“Ecomondo’s international network,” explained Alessandra Astolfi, IEG’s Global Exhibition Director Green&Technology, “extends well beyond national borders with related events in which Ecomondo is actively involved as organiser, co-organiser and partner, for example, Ecomondo Mexico (5-7 March 2025 – 4th edition), which targets the Latin American market, and Ecomondo China – CDEPE (27-29 March 2025 – 19th edition), on environmental technologies in the Chinese market.’

The 2024 edition will also pay special attention to the African continent, in line with the Italian government’s Mattei Plan and the African Green Growth event (4th edition), organised by Ecomondo in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security and the Mission Structure for implementing the Mattei Plan. To date, 8 delegations from Africa and 104 buyers from Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Botswana, Senegal, South Africa and Kenya have confirmed.

Collaboration with the E4Impact Foundation, which operates in 20 African countries (chaired by Letizia Moratti) and carries out MBA training, acceleration, incubation and support programmes for local entrepreneurship, is also important. The 4th edition of E4Impact’s “Business Networking Week in Italy” (Milan, 4-8 November 2024) will focus on the Circular Economy and include a visit to Ecomondo.

The event programme at link  

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/italy-ecomondo-the-international-sustainability-hub-is-about-to-begin-302290539.html

SOURCE Italian Exhibition Group

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