Skycharger will set up two public charging hubs for electric trucks in Southern California, an effort supported with funds from the California Energy Commission.
The two locations, specifically Kettleman City, CA and Lebec, CA, will offer charging rates of at least 200 kW and will be able to charge 64 electric trucks simultaneously. Moreover, each site will be equipped with 5.1 MW of solar power and 8 MWh of battery energy storage to minimise the impact on the grid and secure operationality.
As mentioned above, Skycharger has received a $10 million award from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to build the two sites along the Interstate 5 corridor in Southern California.
The company was previously asked by the port of San Diego to construct a 70-port electric truck charging hub. It, too, will be paired with a solar array (in this case 1.75 MW), and a battery energy storage system (5 MWh).
“We are grateful to the California Energy Commission and the State of California for their unwavering support for transportation electrification, including heavy-duty trucks,” said Andy Karetsky, President of Skycharger. “Electric trucks mean cleaner air, less noise, lower operating costs, and abundant benefits for workers and communities wherever trucks travel and charge. The future is still electric.”
The press release does not state when the sites are expected to open. However, referring to the two sites supported by the CEC, Skycharger says that they will create ‘over 90 well-paying, “high road”, jobs’.
Skycharger’s initiative complements California’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, which mandates a phased transition to zero-emission trucks. The first depots are expected to break ground in 2025, with operations projected to begin by early 2026.
prnewswire.com
