Drayage trucks—trucks that move shipping containers and cargo in and out of ports—are ripe for electrification: a survey of drayage operators in the greater Los Angeles area found that 81% of drayage trips were less than 60 miles, which is an ideal use case for electric Class 8 trucks. However, fleet owners often ask the question: where do we charge? Below are three charging site models for drayage truck fleets and the key characteristics and use cases for each one.
Photo provided by Zeem Solutions
Private Depot
The first and simplest charging site model is the private depot, also known as behind-the-fence charging. Here, the fleet owner works with the local utility and an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) provider to install all necessary make-ready upgrades and charging infrastructure on fleet property, such as a warehouse or vehicle yard. The EVSE may be owned and operated by the fleet owner or by the EVSE provider.
Best Use Case
- Fleet operator values guaranteed charger availability
- Truck depot has sufficient space for chargers
- Local utility has ample grid capacity at the location
- Owner has sufficient capital to invest in chargers
Shared Charging Hub
The second model relies on coordination between two or more fleet operators or a third-party infrastructure developer and multiple fleet operators to create a shared charging hub. While chargers are still located on private property, multiple fleets have access to the location. This eliminates redundant construction and equipment costs while maximizing infrastructure utilization and improving charging access for smaller fleets.
For shared charging hubs without a third-party operator, capital, construction, operational, and maintenance costs are split between the participating fleets. The efficiencies gained through this model require close collaboration between the fleets involved to determine which property would be most suitable for a charging hub and how costs will be distributed.
When a third-party infrastructure developer builds a shared charging hub, they cover the installation/operation/maintenance costs and charge their fleet customers a monthly fee to utilize the site. Some companies bundle access to both electric trucks and charging infrastructure into one monthly fee. Third-party infrastructure developers building shared charging hubs must have a robust understanding of the freight electrification market and policy environment to identify properties that are most suitable for electrification and fleets that would be interested in utilizing their charging services.
Shared charging hubs, regardless of the management structure, will likely require a reservation system. Fleets and shared hub infrastructure operators must coordinate to ensure that equipment is interoperable and uses compatible communication protocols. With successful coordination and scheduling, shared hubs can determine their load curves with greater certainty, avoiding the overbuilding required for public stations with unpredictable, “peaky” utilization.
One example of a company developing a shared charging hub is Zeem Solutions. Its upcoming heavy-duty charging hub at the Port of Long Beach will be capable of 300 overnight charging sessions and 500 daily opportunity charging sessions.
Photo provided by Zeem Solutions
Best Use Case
- Fleets are operating near hubs of freight activity and don’t have the funds to build a private depot
- Fleets are trying out electric trucks or don’t have enough electric trucks to justify investment in charging infrastructure
- Multiple fleets already share property
- Location is space-constrained and would not support multiple private depots
Public Charging Station
The third model is a public charging station, similar to gas stations or truck stops. This charging model is accessible to all fleets, with charging stations built at existing truck stops or rest stops along freight corridors or near hubs such as ports. Payment can be managed by implementing commercial fuel cards like those commonly used by diesel truck operators.
One challenge with developing public medium- and heavy-duty charging stations without specific partnerships with fleets is guaranteeing utilization; developers must have a comprehensive understanding of the freight activity in their target location to ensure return on investment.
Publicly accessible stations are more likely to receive public funding for their development. For example, both the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) programs require awarded infrastructure projects to meet public accessibility requirements. This is also true for many state and utility programs; outside the Port of Savannah, the Port Fuel Center partnered with GoStation to install electric truck charging infrastructure at the truck stop, and because it was public, they were able to apply for funding from Georgia Power’s Make Ready Electric Transportation Program to cover the project’s make-ready costs.
Greenlane is a developer of public charging stations. Its new location in Colton, CA, provides up to 12 MW of power and has 60 charging stations. The site features a lounge, Wi-Fi, and food and beverages for drivers.
Best Use Case
- The project can leverage grant funding by meeting public infrastructure requirements
- Existing diesel/gas station wants to expand fuel offerings
- Charging infrastructure is designed to account for high potential variability
- Site design and location are conducive to public safety and accessibility
If you have questions about which charging model is best suited to your electric drayage operations, please reach out to freight@electrificationcoalition.org.
Recommendations for Federal Policymakers
There are a number of actions federal policymakers can take to support the buildout of charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles.
- Maintain funding certainty: Support investments in medium- and heavy-duty charging infrastructure through programs such as the CFI Grant Program, Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program, Commercial Clean Vehicles Credit (45W), and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (30C).
- Consider the following guiding principles for transportation funding reauthorization:
- Work with industry: Engage and collaborate with leaders in the private transportation sector investing in charging infrastructure and consider funding mechanisms available for both public depots and shared hubs.
- Plan for the future: Identify key transportation hubs and corridors in each congressional district and promote proactive infrastructure planning, drawing from the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.
- Empower utility action: Highlight utility investments in charging infrastructure and grid resiliency upgrades while encouraging public utility/service commissions to enable further utility programs supporting medium- and heavy-duty charging infrastructure.
- Spur permitting reforms: Encourage federal agencies to drive regulatory reforms that expedite interconnections by streamlining and creating transparent minimum standards for the charging infrastructure permitting process.