Volvo Trucks North America and its partners are developing 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, the Electrified Charging Corridor Project will address barriers to long-range MHD EV deployments to encourage widespread adoption. The project will begin in 2022, with all five stations expected 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,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America.
With publicly accessible, strategically located charging stations, fleets utilizing battery-electric trucks are expected to be able to complete zero-tailpipe emissions routes between Southern, Central, and Northern California.
“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,” Voorhoeve said. “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.”
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.
Fleets looking to pilot an electric vehicle through rental and short-term lease opportunities.
Fleets that need an OEM-neutral location to “opportunity charge” along their route.
“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,” said Patrick Shannon, North American president at Volvo Financial Services.
“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 at Shell Recharge Solutions.
The CEC’s BESTFIT Innovative Charging Solutions program funds projects that demonstrate transformative technology solutions and work to accelerate the successful commercial deployment of electric vehicle charging for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty applications.
“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. 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,” said CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan.
For more information about Volvo Trucks’ electromobility initiatives, visit the website.
