Portland General Electric (PGE) and Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) say they are co-developing “Electric Island,” a large public charging site for medium- and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles.
Expected to be the first of its kind in the U.S., Electric Island will help accelerate the development, testing and deployment of zero-emissions (tank to wheel) commercial vehicles.
The site is under construction near DTNA headquarters in Portland, Ore., and is designed to support up to nine vehicle charging stations with charging levels of up to greater than 1 MW by spring of 2021. Electric Island will provide DTNA, PGE and the public the opportunity to charge light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Plans for more chargers, on-site energy storage, solar power generation, and a product and technology showcase building are currently being finalized. Electric Island aims to address the intersection of vehicles and the grid, creating new opportunities for future electric vehicle (EV) drivers and utility customers. Powered by DTNA’s enrollment in PGE’s Green Future Impact renewable energy program, the site will be greenhouse gas emissions-free – including all vehicle charging.
“In cooperation with PGE, and with the plan to expand EV charging right here in Portland to support not only our EV charging needs but those of other drivers in the area, we are paving the way to a brighter, cleaner CO2-neutral future,” says Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of DTNA. “We can accelerate this shift and are excited to address, holistically, the complete EV ecosystem. Daimler Trucks has made Portland our home for the past 73 years and I am incredibly proud to help make Swan Island an Electric Island.”
Electric Island is designed to inform both DTNA’s work in commercial EV development and PGE’s work in meeting customer charging needs.
Photo: Rendering of the project site, where nine charging stations are planned to be operational in spring of 2021
