Two participants in the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI) project — Electrify America and NFI — announced that they will be working together to install the necessary charging infrastructure for the planned initiative. A total of 34 150 kW and 350 kW ultra-fast chargers will be deployed to support the NFI Industries (NFI) fleet at its Ontario, California, facility.
This project supports the deployment of 60 electric commercial trucks that NFI will employ to serve the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Electrify America indicated this is the nation’s single largest charging infrastructure project to support heavy-duty electric trucks, with the 34 ultra-fast DC chargers slated for completion by December 2023. The provider will also assist with site configuration and energy management services.
“Electrify America is constantly embarking on innovative initiatives to drive the EV industry forward, and this milestone project is the latest example of the company’s leadership in thinking bigger and bolder about the future of mobility,” said Rachel Moses, director of commercial services, business development, and green cities at Electrify America. “We are delighted to collaborate with NFI and look forward to installing a first-of-its-kind commercial charging facility to power this fleet of electric freight trucks.”
“We are delighted to collaborate with NFI and look forward to installing a first-of-its-kind commercial charging facility to power this fleet of electric freight trucks.”
NFI’s deployment of the 60 battery-electric drayage trucks is part of the carrier’s ambitious electrification goal to become the first 100% zero-emission fleet operator and truck shop in California. The JETSI project will help fund 50 of the trucks, with 10 additional Volvo VNR Electrics funded by Volvo Trucks North America and SWITCH-ON.
To bolster resiliency, leverage renewable electricity, and reduce ongoing costs, distributed energy resources will be co-located with the charging infrastructure, including both solar panels and energy storage.
“As NFI continues to spearhead supply chain sustainability and minimize the industry’s environmental impact, many elements need to align to ensure we continue making progress,” said Bill Bliem, Senior Vice President of Fleet Services at NFI. “Throughout our experience, we’ve learned that having the right partners, technology, and access to safe, reliable and fast-charging infrastructure are essential to the successful implementation of EVs.”
“As NFI continues to spearhead supply chain sustainability and minimize the industry’s environmental impact, many elements need to align to ensure we continue making progress.”
In addition to NFI and Electrify America’s investments, the electric truck charging infrastructure project is partially funded by JETSI, which is a joint project between the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to advance electric truck adoption.
This announcement comes on the heels of Electrify America’s second “Green City” investment to advance charging electrification for public transit and heavy-duty electric vehicles in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, among other areas of the Wilmington neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles.
Electrify America and NFI’s new initiative will continue efforts to address the negative impact of emissions in this predominantly disadvantaged and low-income community, as 64% of the Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhoods in Los Angeles country are classified as low-income and disadvantaged by the California Air Resources Board.
