Electrify America announced plans to install 30 electric fleet-dedicated chargers paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the Port of Long Beach, California, as part of Electrify America’s $25 million “Green City” investment in the region at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Teaming with trucking company 4 Gen Logistics, Electrify America is building on its commitment to provide charging infrastructure to the City of Long Beach to support 4 Gen’s 60 electric trucks conducting drayage operations in Southern California.
With this investment, Electrify America is becoming an essential stakeholder in the Port of Long Beach’s electrification effort to reduce tailpipe emissions from the heavy traffic of drayage trucks. As part of the nation’s busiest port complex, the company will provide tailored charging solutions for a fleet of electric trucks including class 8 Volvo Trucks and Kenworth battery electric trucks. The 30 fleet-dedicated chargers will provide the fastest charging speeds available today - 150kW (Ultra-Fast) and 350kW (Hyper-Fast) – to support 4 Gen Logistics’ pledge to have a zero-emission fleet by 2025.
Onsite, behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be installed at the Port of Long Beach to further facilitate the fleet-dedicated charging infrastructure. The battery energy storage systems store power when electricity costs are low and supplement power during high points of consumption, minimizing impact on the electrical grid and mitigating demand surges.
“We can have a tremendous impact by bringing electric vehicle charging technology and zero emissions trucks together to provide a more sustainable way to transport shipping containers to and from the Long Beach Port,” said Rachel Moses, director of Commercial Services, Green Cities & Business Development at Electrify America. “We are grateful to 4 Gen Logistics and the City of Long Beach for supporting us in this effort to ensure a better transportation future for all in the region.”
“Together, let’s show the world that zero-emission trucks can reliably serve the demands of the freight transportation industry, while bringing cleaner and healthier air to local communities,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “And let us lead by example.”
To celebrate the new charging station, Electrify America joined Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Sharon L. Weissman of the Port of Long Beach, Gideon Kracov of California Air Resources Board, and Rick Duncan and David Duncan of 4 Gen Logistics at a special event along with local elected officials, representatives from regional transit agencies and the local business community.
"4 Gen Logistics always strives for the best, so collaborating with Electrify America to install 30 charging stations at our Port of Long Beach facility fits into our philosophy to use the best available technology," says David Duncan, Principal at 4 Gen Logistics. "Electrify America's expertise in building charging infrastructure will help us achieve our goal of having a 100% zero-emission fleet in 2025, ten years before California law requires it. We thank them for teaming up with us and look forward to working with them for many years to come."
Electrify America’s “Green City” program serving Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles is part of the company’s broader plan to invest $200 million in California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and education programs in the state over 30 months. Electrify America will further expand these “Green City” investments, and the collaboration with 4 Gen Logistics, with 14 total Ultra-Fast and Hyper-Fast electric fleet chargers with onsite battery energy storage systems in Rialto, California. The Rialto charging station will serve drayage trucks that travel to and from the Ports Complex and is expected to open next year.
As Electrify America moves to complete its Green City plans in Long Beach-Wilmington by 2024, the company will continue working with local officials as well as private fleet operators, owners and collaborators to implement projects focused on charging electrification for public transit and heavy-duty electric vehicles, showcasing ultra-fast charging technology and energy management for these two emerging use cases. To learn more about the Green City initiative, visit electrifyamerica.com/green-city.
