The City of Mountain View, the location of Google’sGoogleplex headquarters, just took a large leap forward in public transportation by announcing the commission of four shuttles powered exclusively by electricity. The shuttles were made possible by a two-year fund set up by Googleand utilize a power-train designed by Motiv Power Systems.Motiv’s electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) was created specifically for trucks and buses, making it one of the firsts of its kind to apply electric drive systems to such a category of transportation. Motiv is no stranger to its technology being applied to buses. In 2014, Motiv was the first to design an all-electric school bus and the first in North America to create an all-electric garbage truck.The shuttles themselves are not meant to replace the current Mountain View public transportation system, but rather add an additional layer of green, public commuting. Mountain View hopes that these shuttles will reduce traffic and assist its residents in reaching medical plazas and shopping centers.Additionally, the shuttles will offer free WiFi to its passengers and racks for bicycles. The shuttles will also be handicap compliant, which includes access for wheelchairs.It should be noted that while the shuttles themselves are “green,” the increased demand on the electric power grid is usually not. One supplier of electricity in Mountain View is Pacific Gas & Energy. When looking at PG&E’s power sources, you can see that 51% of its power is created by green-friendly sources, but 27% of their power generation still comes from natural gas. PG&E has stated it intends on further eliminating its reliance on fossil fuels and increase the utilization of renewable energy. 
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