Volvo Trucks North America is joining forces with Volvo Financial Services, Volvo Technology of America, Shell Recharge Solutions, TEC Equipment, Affinity Truck Center and Western Truck Center to develop a publicly accessible medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (MHD EV) charging network that connects several of California’s largest metropolitan areas.
With an award from the California Energy Commission (CEC) of $2 million under BESTFIT, the Electrified Charging Corridor Project will address key barriers to long-range MHD EV deployments and accelerate widespread adoption.
The project will get underway in 2022, with all five stations anticipated to be online by the end of 2023.
“This project will open the door to a truly electrified freight future in which zero-tailpipe emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks are no longer limited to short-mileage, return-to-base operations and can reach far and wide across the state,” says Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America.
“We are excited to begin construction of the Electrified Charging Corridor Project this year in collaboration with these pioneering truck dealerships so that we can further support fleets in successfully integrating battery-electric trucks into their operations, including our Volvo VNR Electric model,” continues Voorhoeve. “With the support of the CEC helping to drive and manifest this project, we will see an accelerated progression with ripple effects across the industry.”
“Volvo Financial Services is committed to the development of new solutions and business models to enable innovative fleets to take the leap to zero emissions transportation while minimizing their required investments in private charging infrastructure,” adds Patrick Shannon, North American president at Volvo Financial Services.
During the next 18 months, the project will deploy high-powered chargers at several existing Volvo Trucks’ dealership locations in Central and Northern California, including TEC Equipment Oakland, TEC Equipment Dixon, Western Truck Center in Stockton, and Affinity Truck Centers in Fresno and Bakersfield. They will serve as an extension to chargers already available at the TEC Fontana and TEC La Mirada locations in Southern California. With publicly accessible charging stations strategically located at convenient intervals, fleets utilizing battery-electric trucks will be able to complete zero-tailpipe emissions routes between Southern, Central and Northern California.
“This investment for an electric truck charging corridor is critical to accelerate customer confidence in today’s commercial battery-electric offerings. Shell Recharge Solutions is excited to be a part of this innovative charging infrastructure initiative, which will alleviate range anxiety for electric truck customers traveling throughout Southern, Central, and Northern California,” said Matt Androski, chief commercial officer, Shell Recharge Solutions.
The Electrified Charging Corridor Project has the goal of enabling convenient charging for small business fleets that want to avoid making major financial investments in large-scale charging infrastructure at their site. It is for fleets looking to pilot an EV through rental and short-term lease opportunities as well as for fleets that need an OEM-neutral location to “opportunity charge” along their route.
“The Energy Commission is thrilled to support the Electrified Charging Corridor project, which will help California meet its goals for zeroing out tailpipe emissions from trucks,” states CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan. “This project will showcase refueling solutions for long-distance, zero-tailpipe emission truck travel, and may stimulate additional investments in similar corridors throughout the state, across the country, and all over the world.”
The CEC’s BESTFIT Innovative Charging Solutions program funds projects that demonstrate transformative technology solutions and work to accelerate the successful commercial deployment of EV charging for light-, medium- and heavy-duty applications.