---
title: "BMW and Al Gore Invest $55M in Electric Bus Manufacturer Proterra"
description: "The unlikely bedfellows are plunging ahead on electrified mass transit."
date: "2017-06-13"
modified: "2019-06-11"
authors:
  - name: "Rob Stumpf"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/rob-stumpf"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/11484/bmw-and-al-gore-invest-55m-in-electric-bus-manufacturer-proterra"
categories:
  - "BMW News"
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "BMW"
  - "bus"
  - "Electric"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "mass transit"
  - "Proterra"
  - "Tech"
  - "Transportation"
  - "Travel"
---

# BMW and Al Gore Invest $55M in Electric Bus Manufacturer Proterra

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/05/1_proterra-catalyst-e2-bus.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Both consumer acceptance and sales of electric cars have been on the upswing, but the public transport sector has been making its own strides behind the scenes. Proterra, a manufacturer of electric buses, [reportedly closed their last round investments](<https://www.proterra.com/press-release/proterra-closes-55-million-series-6-with-generation-investment-management-llp-and-bmw-i-ventures/>) to the tune of $55 million with funding from two very large (and very different) names—BMW and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

This development comes not long after BMW [announced plans to expand its *i Ventures* program](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/8493/bmw-to-begin-shifting-production-towards-more-electric-vehicles>) to further invest in its own electric vehicle program, and news of their [recent partnership with Chargepoint](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/5199/bmw-volkswagen-and-chargepoint-massively-grow-electric-car-charger-network>) to roll out a large number of charging stations nationwide. Repeated investment by the German auto manufacturer shows a clear interest in the shift to electrified vehicles in the not-so-distant future. Not surprisingly, the belief is further solidified by a statement from BMW i Ventures that calls electric mass transit "the new standard" over fossil-fueled buses.

And while BMW is the biggest automotive name to hop on board, the reportedly "unplanned" investment round was led by none other than former-V.P-turned-environmentalist Al Gore, whose investment firm Generation Investment Management LLP focuses on sustainable projects.

Proterra recently [announced its plan to test autonomous driving technology](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/9869/electric-bus-maker-proterra-is-exploring-autonomous-driving-in-nevada>) with its electrified bus program. The self-driving buses will operate initially in Reno, Nevada during the trial. A partnership between Proterra and the University of Nevada was formed to develop the autonomous driving software, and they're planning a full rollout in approved cities once the tech is approved for commercialization.

https://youtube.com/embed/dp3_zUgD6KE

Proterra CEO Ryan Popple claims that its electrified [buses are even cheaper](<https://electrek.co/2017/02/13/electric-buses-proterra-ceo/>) over their lifespan than their diesel counterparts. This may have been one of the driving forces behind the company's 380 deliveries across 15 different states. The company plans to use the bulk of the new funding to increase production numbers at their two manufacturing plants located in Los Angeles and South Carolina, and also support [research and development](<https://www.epconcommunities.com/why-epcon/>) on the company's future ventures.

## Author
After putting down the camera and leaving the tuner car scene behind, Rob has been covering the automotive world since early 2017. Rob’s blend of technology and automotive backgrounds coupled with his industry insight give a unique perspective of what the future of mobility holds.

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