Proterra names Honeywell and AND Tesla manufacturing veteran, Josh Ensign as Chief Operating Officer.
Burlingame, Calif. – October 12, 2016 – Proterra, the leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation announced today that Josh Ensign has joined its management team as chief operating officer. A military veteran and former executive of Honeywell International and Tesla Motors, Ensign’s track record includes leading global operations for 42 factories in 15 countries and managing the supporting supply chains. Ensign will support Proterra’s next phase of strategic growth by scaling existing operations at Proterra’s Greenville, S.C. facility and bringing its Los Angeles County facility and battery manufacturing operations online in early 2017. Under Ensign’s leadership, Proterra expects to triple production in its East Coast facility and initiate production in Southern California in 2017.
“Mass transit in North America represents a $3 billion market opportunity, and my top priority will be to help Proterra establish a competitive U.S. manufacturing presence to meet market demand and to support the industry’s transition to an all-electric future,” said Josh Ensign, Chief Operating Officer at Proterra.
As vice president of manufacturing at Tesla Motors, Ensign was responsible for all manufacturing activities at the Fremont, California production site. This included the installation of the current Model S high volume production line, the launch of both the dual-motor platform and the Model X, and the establishment of Tesla’s new seat manufacturing facility. Before Tesla, Ensign led global operations in Honeywell International’s automotive and aerospace businesses. Ensign has extensive functional experience in supply chain, logistics, purchasing, and manufacturing and has lived and operated abroad in Germany, Mexico, China and Switzerland.
“Keeping pace with mounting customer demand is a tall order, but we are confident in Ensign’s ability to lead Proterra’s operations through this high-growth period. We are very pleased to have him at the helm of Catalyst vehicle production,” said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra. “His operational expertise is exactly what Proterra needs to bring the Catalyst mainstream and to maintain our pursuit of a clean, diesel-free future.”
About Proterra:
Proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission vehicles that enable bus fleet operators to eliminate the dependency on fossil fuels and to significantly reduce operating costs while delivering clean, quiet transportation to the community. Proterra has sold more than 312 vehicles to 35 different municipal, university, and commercial transit agencies throughout North America. Proterra’s configurable EV platform, battery and charging options make its buses well suited for a wide range of transit and campus routes. With unmatched durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S. certification testing, Proterra products are proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in America, with offices in Silicon Valley, South Carolina, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit: http://www.proterra.com and follow us on Twitter @Proterra_Inc.
Proterra Media Contact:
Company: Proterra, Inc.
Job: Chief Operating Officer
Cand: Ensign, Josh
