What is Proterra?
Proterra operates at the intersection of automotive engineering and advanced energy storage. The company designs and manufactures high-performance electric transit buses and scalable charging infrastructure, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for municipalities and commercial fleet operators. By focusing on the electrification of the transit sector, Proterra addresses the urgent demand for decarbonization in public infrastructure. Its market position is bolstered by a robust intellectual property portfolio and strategic partnerships with major automotive players, enabling the company to scale production and optimize energy efficiency for heavy-duty applications.
How much funding has Proterra raised?
Proterra has raised a total of $817.9M across 17 funding rounds:
Series B
$23M
Series C
$34.2M
Private Equity
$38.8M
Multiple Rounds
$58M
Series E
$140M
Series F
$55M
Other Financing Round
$155M
Debt
$5M
Other Financing Round
$200M
Series B (2012): $23M led by 88 Green Ventures, Hennessey Capital, GM Ventures, Mitsui & Co Global Investment, Global Investment Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Vision Ridge Partners, and NMT Capital
Series C (2013): $34.2M supported by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Tao Invest, Hennessey Capital, 88 Green Ventures, GM Ventures, and MITSUI & CO LTD
Private Equity (2014): $38.8M featuring Vision Ridge Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and GM Ventures
Grant (2015): $3M backed by California Energy Commission
Series D (2015): $30M, investors not publicly disclosed
Debt (2015): $25M led by Hercules Technology Growth Capital
Series E (2017): $140M supported by Edison Energy, 88 Green Ventures, GM Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and Tao Capital Management
Series F (2017): $55M featuring Generation Investment Management. and BMW
Other Financing Round (2018): $155M backed by Tao Capital Management, Daimler, and G2 Venture Partners
Debt (2020): $5M with participation from PPP
Other Financing Round (2020): $200M led by Generation Investment Management, Cowen Sustainable Advisors, Broadscale Group, and Soros Fund Management
Key Investors in Proterra
Kleiner Perkins
A Menlo Park-based venture capital firm that invests in early and growth-stage technology companies, providing capital and operational support across the climate and hard tech sectors.
GM Ventures
The venture capital arm of General Motors, focusing on automotive-related technology startups to foster innovation in transportation and support a zero-emissions future.
Generation Investment Management
An investment firm dedicated to sustainable economic systems, collaborating with partners to mobilize capital toward climate-positive and equitable societal solutions.
What's next for Proterra?
With the support of its latest $200M investment, Proterra is well-positioned to accelerate its manufacturing capacity and expand its footprint in the energy storage market. The company is expected to prioritize the deployment of its next-generation battery systems, which are essential for enhancing the range and reliability of electric fleets. Furthermore, the strategic alignment with institutional investors suggests a continued focus on long-term infrastructure projects, potentially diversifying into broader energy management solutions. As the regulatory environment increasingly favors sustainable transport, Proterra's ability to integrate its technology into existing transit networks will be a key driver of its future growth trajectory and competitive advantage.
See full Proterra company page
