First Mode develops engineering solutions for complex challenges in various fields, including clean energy, planetary exploration, and sustainable transportation. Their products, such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, are designed for applications like off-road racing and mining operations. The company stands out from competitors by focusing on practical and sustainable solutions through a multidisciplinary approach, ensuring that their systems are resilient and reliable. First Mode aims to provide tailored engineering expertise to clients, ranging from mining companies to space agencies, helping them tackle demanding technical problems.

Anglo American

Industrial & Manufacturing

Energy

Aerospace

First Mode

That's why First Mode recently added a hybrid option to its conversion offerings, as part of a strategic pivot that also involved job cuts.

First Mode opens a clean-tech factory that capitalizes on some extra high-tech twists

First Mode’s hybrid diesel-electric truck takes on its first tests in Centralia, Wash. (First Mode via LinkedIn)Seattle-based First Mode says it’s cutting back on its workforce as it adjusts to the market demand for heavy trucks that rely less on fossil fuels.The workforce in the U.S., which currently amounts to about 240 people, is being immediately reduced by about 20%, First Mode CEO Julian Soles said in an email sent to employees today. Most of those employees are in Washington state — for example, at First Mode’s Seattle HQ and at its proving grounds in Centralia, Wash.About 125 additional employees work in non-U.S. offices. Soles said operations in Australia, Britain and South Africa “may also possibly experience redundancies,” while operations in Chile are “not currently impacted.”Despite the cutbacks, First Mode is continuing with plans to retrofit mining trucks to reduce their carbon footprint and address the climate challenge.“This is the year that we deliver commercial products to our customer sites. It is also when we finalise our transformation from an engineering services firm to a global decarbonisation product company,” Soles wrote, using British spellings.Next month, First Mode will officially open a 40,000-square-foot factory in Seattle’s SoDo district to manufacture power systems and the associated ground infrastructure for its “Path to Zero” product line.When the Anglo American mining conglomerate acquired a majority share of First Mode a year ago, the business plan focused on converting heavy trucks to use First Mode’s zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain — starting with Anglo American’s fleet.Since then, however, First Mode has determined that potential customers prefer a step-by-step approach to decarbonization

First Mode Reduces Workforce As It Revises Its Vision For Lower-Emission Heavy Trucks

First Mode launched a hydrogen-powered haul truck for Anglo American that entered its commercial fleet in 2022.

Clean energy company First Mode cuts 20% of its US workforce

First Mode designed a two-megawatt hydrogen-fueled powerplant that was installed in this Anglo American haul truck at their platinum mine in Mogalakwena, South Africa, creating the world’s largest zero-emission vehicle. (First Mode Photo)First Mode filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday as the Seattle-based clean tech company continues to explore strategic alternatives after its majority shareholder stopped providing capital.GeekWire reported earlier this month that Anglo American, a global mining company which took ownership of First Mode last year in a $1.5 billion transaction, recently halted funding to First Mode. The company then explored a potential sale but was unable to find a buyer. Bankruptcy court documents show that First Mode initiated a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process with the support of Anglo American to help sell assets and wind down the business.First Mode has nearly $100 million in total liabilities and has reduced its workforce from 228 employees to 66 people over the past year, according to bankruptcy documents.The company has received a “stalking horse” bid as part of the bankruptcy process from Cummins, a global power company based in Indiana, documents show.It’s been a rocky year for First Mode, which launched in 2018 and aims to reduce carbon emissions for mining trucks and other heavyweight vehicles such as freight locomotives.Anglo American acquired a majority share of First Mode a year ago and planned to focus on converting heavy trucks to use First Mode’s zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain — starting with Anglo American’s fleet.But in January, First Mode said that it would put less emphasis on hydrogen-battery powertrains, shifting instead to hybrid diesel-battery powertrains. It also announced a workforce reduction in January of about 20% of its U.S.-based workforce. The company trimmed its workforce again in August

First Mode Files For Bankruptcy In Sudden Downfall For Clean Trucking Company

First Mode CEO Julian Soles speaks at the February opening of a Seattle factory. (First Mode Photo)First Mode, a Seattle-based clean tech company aiming to reduce carbon emissions for mining trucks and other heavyweight vehicles, is in asset acquisition talks after a decision by its majority shareholder to stop funding the business. Anglo American, a global mining company which took ownership of First Mode last year in a $1.5 billion transaction, recently halted funding to First Mode, according to a First Mode spokesperson. “As a result, First Mode engaged financial advisors to support the process of evaluating strategic alternatives, including the potential sale of the business to a new owner who could continue to support First Mode’s world-leading decarbonization innovations,” the company said in a statement to GeekWire.But First Mode was unable to reach an agreement for its entire business and is now engaged in talks with a bidder “who has expressed an interest in a significant part of the technology and team,” according to the company’s statement.The company did not disclose the identity of the bidder, details of the agreement, or impact to its workforce. It’s the latest chapter in a roller coaster past few years for First Mode.When Anglo American acquired a majority share of First Mode a year ago, the business plan focused on converting heavy trucks to use First Mode’s zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain — starting with Anglo American’s fleet.But in January, First Mode said that it would put less emphasis on hydrogen-battery powertrains and more emphasis on hybrid diesel-battery powertrains. At the time, First Mode CEO Julian Soles said the change in strategy provided a lower-cost, step-by-step path to reducing carbon emissions.It also announced a workforce reduction in January of about 20% of its U.S.-based workforce.The company then held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in February for a new 40,000 square-foot factory in Seattle to build powertrain conversion kits for mining trucks

First Mode Explores Strategic Alternatives As Anglo American Stops Funding Clean Energy Company

A hybrid mining truck takes a test drive through First Mode’s Centralia proving grounds. (First Mode via X)First Mode, a Seattle-based company that’s concentrating on reducing carbon emissions in mining and other heavy industries, has alerted its employees to a significant round of layoffs that’s expected to unfold in early August.A memo sent out today to U.S. employees doesn’t specify how many will be laid off — and emphasized that “individual determinations are still in process.” But First Mode told GeekWire in a follow-up email that the layoffs could amount to as much as 50% of the company’s global workforce.In the memo to employees, chief people officer Mornie Robertson said the total number of impacted workers in the U.S. “will be large enough” to obligate First Mode to provide all U.S. employees with notification under the terms of the WARN Act. That blanket 60-day advance notification accompanied today’s memo.“Impacted employees will be notified the week of August 5,” Robertson wrote.Robertson referred to an all-hands meeting that took place last week and focused on the business outlook for First Mode.“As we enter the second half of the year, First Mode needs to further adjust to ensure we are aligned to the market and our business opportunities, whilst making First Mode as attractive as possible to the broadest set of investors,” she said

Seattle Clean-Tech Pioneer First Mode Gives Employees Advance Warning About Layoffs

Universal Hydrogen’s plane takes flight in Moses Lake, Wash., in March 2023. (Universal Hydrogen Photo)California-based Universal Hydrogen — which put a hybrid prototype for a hydrogen-fueled airplane into the air last year in Moses Lake, Wash. — has run out of money and is shutting down operations, The Seattle Times reported today.The Seattle Times cited a letter sent to shareholders on Thursday from Mark Cousin, the startup’s chairman and CEO. Cousin’s letter said the company’s executives were “unable to secure sufficient equity or debt financing to continue operations and similarly were unable to secure an actionable offer for a sale of the business or similar strategic exit transaction,” according to the newspaper.We’ve reached out to Universal Hydrogen for comment and will update this report with anything we can pass along.Universal Hydrogen made its mark in March 2023 when it flew a modified De Havilland Dash 8-300 turboprop with a hydrogen-fueled electric propulsion system mounted on the plane’s right wing. The system incorporated a megawatt-class motor built by Everett, Wash.-based MagniX. The engine on the left side was left unconverted to serve as a backup

Universal Hydrogen Reportedly Runs Out Of Runway, One Year After Starting Flight Tests

Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MOREFirst Mode CEO Julian Soles wields a giant scissors at a factory ribbon-cutting ceremony with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to the right and Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, to the left. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle)There’s not much that’s bolted down the floor of the 40,000-square-foot factory in Seattle’s SoDo district where First Mode plans to build powertrain conversion kits for mining trucks — and that’s by design.“The factory itself represents the latest in smart manufacturing,” First Mode CEO Julian Soles said during today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in attendance. “It’s ‘software-defined’ rather than a hard-point-constrained facility

First Mode Opens A Clean-Tech Factory That Capitalizes On Some Extra High-Tech Twists

SEATTLE, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Mode, the pioneering developer and manufacturer of decarbonization products for heavy industry, today announces a strategic alliance with Mitsui & Co., Ltd, ("Mitsui") the international trading company and investment group with extensive interests in the mining industry, to accelerate heavy industry's adoption of low-carbon and zero-emissions product solutions at scale.Mitsui logo Representatives from First Mode and Mitsui gathered at First Mode’s recently opened factory in Seattle for an official signing ceremony to launch the strategic alliance. From the left: Amy Pearson-Wales, Mark Freed, Julian Soles, Ken Ito, Kentaro Yabe, and Hideaki Katsube. Image ©First Mode 2024First Mode's considerable expertise in powertrain systems electrification and hydrogen technologies, coupled with Mitsui's global business network, will uniquely equip the alliance to explore new business opportunities that catalyze the integration of First Mode's Path to Zero™ product line into previously hard-to-abate sectors like mining."We are honored to enter into a strategic alliance with Mitsui to support and help scale our solutions that are proven to reduce heavy industry's polluting outputs. The collaboration underscores our shared commitment to sustainability and the critical role of partnerships when addressing complex global challenges through innovation," said Julian Soles, CEO of First Mode.In mining, a typical heavy-haul truck burns about 1 million liters of diesel fuel per year and remains in continuous operation for 10-15 years. Across First Mode's customer market, over 13,000 of these trucks are in global operation, releasing 35 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent emissions of 8 million passenger cars per year.To help the sector achieve its goal of 85-100% emissions reduction by 2050, First Mode's Path to Zero™ product line begins with a low-risk hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) retrofit that requires no infrastructure changes and uses regenerative braking to decrease truck fuel use and carbon emissions by up to 25%. From there, the HEV's interoperable "feed forward" design enables mining companies to complete their fleet conversion to zero-emissions using First Mode's full battery or next-generation hydrogen fuel cell EV drivetrains at a pace and timeline that they control."Mitsui recognizes First Mode as a pioneer in decarbonization solutions for the mining sector, particularly in the replacement of diesel fuel

First Mode Announces Strategic Alliance To Scale Clean Energy Solutions For Heavy Industry With Mitsui  Co., Ltd

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!There are three long running supporting cast members in stagings of the sad farce that is trials of hydrogen for fleets, FuelCell Energy, Plug Power and Ballard Power Systems. All of their market capitalizations peaked roughly 99% above their current stock valuations in 2000. They’ve all participated in innumerable hydrogen fleet trials, yet none of the trials has resulted in hundreds or thousands of vehicles operating on hydrogen. Quite the opposite, most have resulted in hydrogen being abandoned entirely. Odyssey of the Hydrogen Fleet infographic by Michael Barnard, Chief Strategist, TFIE Strategy Inc, icons by ChatGPT  DALL-E

Ballard Averaging $55 Million Annual Losses While Pushing Hydrogen Rock Uphill With Grants

Engineering solutions for clean energy and space

First Mode

Engineering solutions for clean energy and space

First Mode

Engineering solutions for clean energy and space

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