Draft:CALSTART

Calstart is a non-profit organization for the development and implementation of large-scale zero-emission transportation solutions with businesses, governments, and organizations to improve air quality, mitigate climate change and support economic growth. It provides technical, scientific, and policy analysis to support regulatory development for clean technology and infrastructure acceleration. It is headquartered in Pasadena, California.

John Boesel has served as president and CEO of the organization since 2001. Boesel is a member of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies Board of Advisors and a member of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Mobile Source Technical Review Subcommittee.

Candid, an independent charity evaluator, has given Calstart a Platinum Transparency rating.

History
Calstart was established in response both to the growing contribution to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by the transportation sector, and to the decline of jobs in aerospace industry after the end of the Cold War, to create a clean transportation industry in the state.

Calstart initially worked out of an old aircraft hangar at Lockheed's original Skunk Works site in Burbank, CA. Calstart was first led by its co-founder Lon Bell (former president of TRW Technar), and then until 1999 by Michael Gage, former deputy mayor of Los Angeles.

It created a showcase electric vehicle within its first year. It helped develop hybrid and electric powertrains for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and components, including the first hybrid electric bus and components like differentials or aluminum spaceframes for electric vehicles.

Areas of work
Calstart operates in road and off-road transportation sectors, including fuels and infrastructures. It is active in technology development; market acceleration programs; technical and market analyses; public policy advisory, and support for its member organizations.

It is internationally active via Drive to Zero, part of Clean Energy Ministerial, and Global Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), co-led with the Netherlands. Both programs focus on decarbonizing commercial vehicles.