Silicon Valley Cleantech Heavyweight Joins Proterra

GOLDEN, Colo., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Proterra Inc. (www.proterra.com), a leading maker of clean commercial transit solutions including zero-emission city buses, today announced that Marc Gottschalk, co-chair of the Energy and Clean Technology practice at Silicon Valley powerhouse law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati (WSGR), has joined the company as Chief Business Development Officer and General Counsel. Proterra is a Colorado-based manufacturer of zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicle systems and its groundbreaking, fast-charge, battery electric transit bus, the EcoRide.

Mr. Gottschalk, named a California Superlawyer by Law and Politics Magazine from 2006-2010, is one of a small inner circle in Silicon Valley who pioneered the US cleantech sector and helped shape it into a new driver for global innovation and economic growth. WSGR's cleantech practice has helped dozens of innovative cleantech companies, including Proterra, go to market since 2003. Mr. Gottschalk is also a co-founder of the Cleantech Open, the world leading organization that provides all the resources inventors and entrepreneurs need to take their cleantech innovations from concept to operating business.

Mr. Gottschalk will remain as a California-based advisor to WSGR and will also remain on the board of the Cleantech Open.

"When viewed through my decade of cleantech experience, it is clear that Proterra has stand-out technology, management and market potential. I look forward to helping make their transformational, cost saving, zero emission bus the standard at transit agencies around the world," said Mr. Gottschalk. "My work building a leading cleantech practice at WSGR has granted me unrivaled insight into how to help Proterra accomplish our business mission."

"Marc is a vital addition to what is already our world-class team," said Jeffery Granato, President and CEO of Proterra. "He has been giving us great business advice as our lawyer for a number of years and now we get his full attention and enthusiasm at a very important time in the company's growth."

About Proterra Inc.

Proterra is answering the international call for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible heavy-duty vehicle solutions. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Proterra is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems and transit buses. Proterra's systems are scalable to all forms of commercial buses and Class 6-8 trucks. Proterra's initial product, a 35' all-electric transit bus, has been designed from the ground up to enable a world's first ever solution for transit agencies to replace convention diesel buses on a one-for-one basis with all-electric buses operating 24/7. This is accomplished by combining Proterra's light-weight composite body, highly efficient ProDrive™, advanced TerraVolt™ energy storage system and on-route rooftop FastCharging™ station to charge the bus in 5-10 minutes. The vehicle achieves between 18 and 29 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers – 500% better than a comparable diesel bus. For more information on Proterra and its technology please visit: www.proterra.com

SOURCE Proterra Inc.