WattEV Charging Plaza for Port of Complex
WattEV and the Port of Long Beach announced plans for WattEV to build a charging plaza for heavy-duty electric trucks inside the port complex.
Salim Youssefzadeh, chief executive officer of WattEV – alongside Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero – announced the project during the Expo.
“This project is an exciting opportunity in WattEV’s near-term plans to build an electric-truck charging ‘highway’ from the Port of Long Beach to Sacramento by the end of 2023,” Youssefzadeh said.
The charging facility would serve WattEV’s fleet of electric trucks as well other carriers committed to electrifying trucking operations to and from the combined ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which receive some 40 percent of the nation’s imported goods.
Combined, the ports have 20,000 trucks in their registries using combustion engines, more than 25 percent of which are older than 10 years. Both ports have been setting clean air goals for nearly two decades.
“WattEV’s electric charging facility at the Port of Long Beach would be a major step towards encouraging transporters to transition to zero emission trucking,” Youssefzadeh said.
“This charging station represents the southern anchor of our ‘Electric Highway,’ serving heavy transport corridors in Southern California as well as north-bound freight through the San Joaquin Valley. Sacramento is the northern anchor for our infrastructure development. We’re planning two more e-truck charging plazas between there and Long Beach,” Youssefzadeh said.
Cordero of the Port of Long Beach said, WattEV’s charging plaza – located on Pier A Way in one of the port’s main area of operations – would serve as “visible testimony” to the Port of Long Beach’s commitment to electric mobility and clean air.
“Our Clean Air Action Plan calls for bold, aggressive measures to reduce port emissions and their impact on neighboring communities,” Cordero said, “without sacrificing economic efficiency and jobs. Our quest is not about ‘reducing’ emissions, but about ‘eliminating’ emissions. Projects such as this are an important part of the Port of Long Beach achieving its clean-air goals and honors our commitment to be a good neighbor and environmental steward.”
WattEV is actively working with Southern California Edison (SCE) to power its charging stations throughout SCE’s service area, including those under construction in Gardena, San Bernardino and the planned Port of Long Beach charging plaza.
WattEV’s POLB e-truck charging plaza – designed for everyday use by drayage operators and longer-haul fleets – will initially feature 26 charging bays using Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors to provide power at up to 360 kilowatts. The CCS system is the current charging standard for heavy-duty e-trucks, while faster charging systems are under development.
With the availability of trucks with Megawatt charging capability, eight more e-truck bays are planned at the POLB charging plaza, featuring the faster, higher-power Megawatt Charging System (MCS), rated for charging at up to 1.2 megawatts. The MCS is expected to become the worldwide standard for fast-charging of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
While WattEV welcomes fleets and individual operators to charge up at its e-truck charging network, the company also will be operating its own fleet of branded electric trucks for its Trucks-as-a-Service (TaaS) program. WattEV is expecting initial deliveries to begin by the end of this year for 50 Volvo VNR electric trucks on order, and several hundred more from various manufacturers thereafter.
Under WattEV’s TaaS system, large and small feet operators that join WattEV’s service platform can electrify their freight operations on a pay-as-you-go basis without the unknowns in charging and range, and without the large, up-front capital investment.
WattEV has set a goal of putting 12,000 electric heavy-duty trucks on the road with a supporting infrastructure by 2030. To that end, WattEV is actively building additional electric truck charging stations in Bakersfield, Gardena, San Bernardino, and expects to break ground in Sacramento at a solar powered facility on U.S. Interstate 5 across from the Sacramento International Airport air freight hub.
The charging network and WattEV’s heavy-duty e-fleet will facilitate the zero-emission transport of goods to and from air and ocean ports and large warehouses in the Inland Empire, the Sacramento region, and the agricultural sectors of the vast San Joaquin Valley.
“We’re on schedule to build out electric truck stops from the ports to Southern California warehouses and up I-5 and Highway 99 to Sacramento, and east along the I-10 to Barstow, Blythe and neighboring states, and beyond,” said Youssefzadeh.
“The Port of Long Beach site would add impetus to fulfilling our vision of leading the transition to electric trucking. As WattEV moves toward revenue generation in 2023, we’ll be scaling up our operations for expansion over the next several years,” he said.
Mack Electrifies Refuse and Intros Safety Programs
Mack Trucks announced that it was offering a new program and a new safety offering for customers of the Mack LR® Electric model. Mack made the announcement at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo.
Mack launched the Electrify My Refuse Route Program, a unique-to-Mack campaign that rewards customers for sharing their refuse routes to prepare the fleet’s readiness for the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle. Mack also announced the availability of Sensta Technologies PreView collision warning technology on several Mack models, including the Mack LR Electric.
“Mack continues to invest in programs and technology to improve the total cost of ownership for customers,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “Helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals, the Electrify My Refuse Route Program mitigates costs associated with electrification infrastructure. Along with sustainability, safety remains a priority for the refuse industry and Mack. PreView improves safety for drivers and others on the road, alerting operators when an object is in a blind spot and helping customers, and the industry, maintain enhanced levels of operating safety.”
Through the Electrify My Refuse Route program, customers download the Mack Route Recorder app to receive up to $750 in Mack parts gift cards for sharing valid refuse collection routes. Customers who then purchase or lease the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle can receive $25,000 for charging hardware reimbursement and $10,000 in additional charging reimbursements for each further vehicle purchased.
To qualify for parts gift cards and the additional incentives, customers email Mack their recorded collection routes. The customer is rewarded $250 in gift cards for each submitted qualified route, with a limit of three per customer. Those that receive charging hardware reimbursement following a purchase or lease are limited to specific charger models and manufacturers.
PreView is available on the Mack LR Electric, diesel-powered Mack LR and Mack TerraPro models. Utilizing four radar sensors, one on each side of the vehicle, the PreView radar system detects objects and Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) that may be located in a driver’s blind spot. Vulnerable Road Users are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Indicators in the A-Pillars flash lights and audible alerts are sounded when the system detects a metallic object or a VRU in a blind spot. Available as an option and factory-installed on new builds, customers may also retrofit their trucks with PreView by contacting their local Mack dealer.
The next generation LR Electric, launched in March 2022, features 42 percent more energy and a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity offering an increased range. Featuring twin electric motors, the Mack LR Electric offers 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb.-ft. of peak output torque from zero RPM. The LR Electric has a two-speed Mack Powershift transmission, Mack mRIDE™ suspension and Mack’s proprietary S462R 46,000-pound rear axles.
Easily identifiable by a copper-colored Bulldog on the cab denoting the electric drivetrain, the LR Electric’s vehicle propulsion is offered through four NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) lithium-ion batteries that are charged though a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system. The four batteries also provide all power for every onboard accessory, driven through 12V, 24V and 600V circuits. The two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.
Mack began serial production of the LR Electric in 2021 at its Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania, where all Class 8 Mack vehicles for North America and export are assembled.
Mack originally announced the Electrify My Refuse Route Program and PreView earlier today at WasteExpo 2022 in Las Vegas. Mack also announced at the show that the City of Ocala, Florida, purchased two Mack LR Electric models, and Miami-Dade County, Florida, purchased one LR Electric refuse vehicle.
Shell Recharges Penske
Penske Truck Leasing and Shell Recharge Solutions North America announced a new joint initiative to support light-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging at Penske locations.
The project will initially deploy Level 2 (L2) electric truck charging stations with plug-and-charge capabilities, to support Penske’s growing battery-electric truck fleet in California. Additional sites will be rolled out in four U.S. states in 2022 with more locations expected to be added in 2023 and beyond.
“Collaborating with Shell will help us expand and diversify our electric vehicle charging network and to support the light-duty electric vans we recently introduced,” stated Art Vallely, president, Penske Truck Leasing. “We continue to invest in growing our electric fleet and charging infrastructure to provide more options to customers seeking sustainable fleet solutions.”
To support Penske, Shell Recharge Solutions will deliver design, installation and charging network support through its SKY software platform. Shell Recharge Solutions will also provide maintenance support across Penske’s network of L2 electric truck charging stations.
“Penske’s light-duty EV expansion project demonstrates that e-mobility is a viable option that‘s available now,” said Daniel Silva, vice president, enterprise accounts, sectors & decarbonization, Shell. “We’re proud to work with Penske in decarbonizing their fleets which will lead to greater value for all parties while significantly reducing emissions.”
Of the 33 Penske Truck Leasing sites that will feature Shell Recharge Solutions,23 will be constructed in California; three in Washington state; two each in Colorado, Illinois and Oregon; and one station will be located in Reading, Pennsylvania. This will bring the Penske Shell L2 network to a total of 79 chargers.
Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 14,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. //
SEA Electric SV6 EV Stripped Chassis
SEA Electric is showcasing its latest developments on the game-changing SV6 EV stripped chassis.
Thanks to its medium-voltage architecture and no requirement for active thermal management of batteries, SEA Electric’s solution is the lightest, most cost-effective and most efficient system available in the battery-electric last-mile delivery segment.
“Major fleets across the country that utilize a step van platform understand that zero-emissions power-systems are now proven and the way forward,” said Tony Fairweather, Founder and CEO of SEA Electric.
“With the SEA SV6 EV, we bring to the market a complete package that offers all of the functionality required from these vehicles, complete with a proven, reliable all-electric architecture that leads the industry.
“One of the most exciting aspects of the shift to EV is the V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) capabilities of the system, which will form the basis of the future energy ecosystem.
“With only 100,000 SV6 EVs on the road, it would represent the equivalent of the entire battery storage capacity that is currently available across the USA.
“The switch to zero emissions deliveries has environmental advantages, but importantly, provides mobile battery storage and paves the way to improved power grid security.”
Powered by the SEA-Drive® 120b power-system, the SV6 EV covers applications with a GVWR up to 22,000lbs (Class 6), with its 335hp and 2,580lb-ft performance ratings ideal for any urban driving situation.
The 138kWh battery pack for the platform delivers a class-leading unladen range of up to 170 miles, while also capable of being configured for fast charging at up to 80kW.
The SV6 EV platform is packed with specialist innovations unique to the segment.
From all-encompassing telematics, including a smartphone app, back-end portal and integrated digital instrument cluster from Valid, to EV specific tires with a low rolling resistance, and an angular sensor on the electric power steering system, which actively conserves power, the advancements are numerous.
The package will have a raft of standard inclusions and optional extras comparable with any similar vehicle currently available, including driver comfort and safety items, which can be incorporated into popular body types, with various width and wheelbase options available. Advanced Driver-Asisstance Systems include; Automatic Emergency Braking, Distance Alert/Distance Indication, Post-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert System and Auto-High Beam Control
For delivery drivers, the SEA Electric SV6 EV provides a comfortable work environment, with health and safety considerations including no noise, fumes, heat or vibrations, while fleets can rest assured with class leading warranty, and with extended warranties also available.
Durability testing for the package is set to commence in Q3 2022, with volume assembly to begin in Q1 2023, with conditional orders currently being taken.
Further announcements regarding Class 3 to 5 SEA SV stripped chassis models will be made in due course.
EV Charging at Penske Locations
Penske Truck Leasing and Shell Recharge Solutions North America announced a new joint initiative to support light-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging at Penske locations.
The project will initially deploy Level 2 (L2) electric truck charging stations with plug-and-charge capabilities, to support Penske’s growing battery-electric truck fleet in California. Additional sites will be rolled out in four U.S. states in 2022 with more locations expected to be added in 2023 and beyond.
“Collaborating with Shell will help us expand and diversify our electric vehicle charging network and to support the light-duty electric vans we recently introduced,” stated Art Vallely, president, Penske Truck Leasing. “We continue to invest in growing our electric fleet and charging infrastructure to provide more options to customers seeking sustainable fleet solutions.”
To support Penske, Shell Recharge Solutions will deliver design, installation and charging network support through its SKY software platform. Shell Recharge Solutions will also provide maintenance support across Penske’s network of L2 electric truck charging stations.
“Penske’s light-duty EV expansion project demonstrates that e-mobility is a viable option that‘s available now,” said Daniel Silva, vice president, enterprise accounts, sectors & decarbonization, Shell. “We’re proud to work with Penske in decarbonizing their fleets which will lead to greater value for all parties while significantly reducing emissions.”
Of the 33 Penske Truck Leasing sites that will feature Shell Recharge Solutions,23 will be constructed in California; three in Washington state; two each in Colorado, Illinois and Oregon; and one station will be located in Reading, Pennsylvania. This will bring the Penske Shell L2 network to a total of 79 chargers.
Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 14,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future.
FreeWire Boosts Charging with Boost Charger 200
FreeWire Technologies Inc. launched its newest ultrafast and flexible DC fast charging offering, the Boost Charger™ 200.
The Boost Charger 200 offers impressive performance and a battery-integrated design that allows seamless connection to existing infrastructure without burdensome construction costs and permitting restraints. FreeWire’s next-generation charger features the highest output power in a battery integrated charging station providing 200 miles of range in 15 minutes and reaching peak power levels of 200kW. In addition, the Boost Charger 200 has a 160 kWh battery capacity and only needs one-eighth of the input power required of conventional charging equipment, and can charge all electric vehicle (EV) models by providing up to 950-volt power. As a result, the Boost Charger is ideal for commercial, retail, utility, and fleets of all vehicle classes — light, medium, and heavy-duty — to deploy ultrafast EV charging at a lower cost and with lesser grid impact.
“The global movement towards electrified transportation is accelerating. We must continue to make EV charging faster, more convenient, and more affordable than ever without sacrificing performance,” said FreeWire CEO and Founder Arcady Sosinov. “The Boost Charger 200 is our most powerful and flexible charging solution yet, and we are particularly excited about its use case for cost-effective fleet electrification.”
As charging demand rapidly increases, upgrading the electrical grid and individual site power infrastructure remains costly and time-intensive. Each installation often requires several months for completion, slowing efforts to advance urgent infrastructure and environmental goals. As a result, America’s aging, disaster-prone electric grids will come under increased strain, potentially threatening to short-circuit our country’s progress toward decarbonization. To offset the challenges brought on by increased demand, FreeWire’s Boost Charger 200 touts a compelling list of benefits in comparison to current legacy charging options:
- Over $30,000 on average savings compared to conventional charging equipment
- 6x faster deployment time
- 5x smaller footprint (incorporating associated electrical equipment with legacy chargers)
- 70% lower operating costs (lower demand charges)
- Reduced permitting
Vicky De George