LONG BEACH, Calif. — TeraWatt Infrastructure, a company powering electrified truck fleets, has broken ground on a heavy duty electric vehicle (EV) charging site based in Rancho Dominguez, California.
Located less than 15 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, “the site is strategically positioned to support sustainable trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the United States,” a news release stated.
Slated to be operational by mid-2024, TeraWatt’s Rancho Dominquez site will house a total of 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls and boast an impressive capacity of 7MW — enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day and resulting in an annual decrease of 12,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The site will also feature a driver amenities building, complete with a lounge, food and beverage services and Wi-Fi connectivity. At the groundbreaking event, a Volvo truck was provided to preview TeraWatt’s proprietary charging software and made available for test rides.
“Deploying the industry leading Class 8 VNR Electric takes an entire electromobility ecosystem,” said Derik Wilson, commercial electromobility charging and infrastructure manager, Volvo Trucks North America. “Since the Volvo LIGHTS Project, Volvo Trucks North America has continued to work with industry stakeholders, such as TeraWatt for the increased scaling of charging solutions and our valued dealer partners like TEC Equipment who remain focused on uptime of the VNR Electric for our customers. TEC Equipment’s commitment to continued deployment of the VNR Electric is on display by supplying one of their trucks for this interoperability validation.”
PepsiCo recently announced that it will be using the Rancho Dominquez site for last-mile delivery charging in the Los Angeles area, as the company ramps up fleet electrification efforts. This initiative underscores a growing commitment from the enterprise sector to adopt sustainable technologies across their logistics and transportation operations.
“Our partners in the private sector are playing a key role in building the infrastructure that is needed to power California’s zero-emission future,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “TeraWatt’s upcoming facility in Rancho Dominguez is one example of how the industry is stepping up to build sustainability into the operations of one of the nation’s busiest ports while delivering the clean air that Californians need and deserve.”
TeraWatt officials say they are committed to “decarbonizing fleet transportation by acquiring and building charging sites in areas that experience some of the most severe air pollution, in turn ushering in an era of green mobility and cleaner air quality.”
Recent reports have revealed that South Los Angeles ranks second in the nation for worst places to live for air pollution.
“The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach stand as pivotal hubs for our nation’s strategic shipping operations, distinguished as some of the busiest and most critical ports in the country,” said Neha Palmer, TeraWatt’s CEO and co-founder. “We know that with the proper infrastructure in place, EV adoption will quickly accelerate in this region. We look forward to being at the forefront of this transition by providing the full-stack solutions that enable fleets to seamlessly electrify their operations for both the near and long-term.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
