WattEV opens world’s largest solar-powered truck charging depot, fourth station to open in one year
May 07 2024 - 9:02AM
WattEV, the industry leader in medium- and heavy-duty electric
truck charging infrastructure development and electric freight
transport, today opened its fourth electric truck charging depot,
this one in Bakersfield, California.
The WattEV Bakersfield depot will connect the San Joaquin
Valley’s vast agricultural sector and growing warehousing complexes
to California’s seaports and inland destinations. The 119-acre site
is designed, owned, and operated by WattEV. This is the world’s
first electric truck stop featuring a solar-powered microgrid with
a battery energy storage system (BESS), and is capable of megawatt
rapid charging (MCS).
This state-of-the art station features 16 dual-cord 360kW
chargers connected to the grid and 15 single-cord 240kW CCS
chargers, plus three MCS 1,200kW rapid chargers, drawing power from
the site’s solar array. Significantly, the MCS chargers will bring
down truck charging “dwell time” from hours to less than 30
minutes, said WattEV CEO Salim Youssefzadeh.
“Reducing the charge time to less than 30 minutes for a 300-mile
range will be a game-changer in the adoption of electric trucks,”
Youssefzadeh said. “We developed all of our charging facilities to
allow for the transition from the current CCS charging standard to
the new, faster MCS charging, in preparation for this
evolution.”
With its signature black, green and white “WattEV” brand, the
depot is located near the junction of busy highways CA-99 at CA-65.
It will serve heavy-duty electric trucks with routes connecting the
San Joaquin Valley’s vast agricultural sector and growing
distribution warehouse region to the state’s seaports and inland
destinations throughout Southern California and the West.
The WattEV Bakersfield charge depot features amenities such as
restrooms and a commercial center with lease space available for
food and merchandise vendors.
In support of its mission to accelerate the transition to
zero-emission transport solutions, this is the third new electric
truck charging depot WattEV has opened in California in the past
month, adding to the Port of Long Beach station that started
operation in July 2023. Other open locations include San Bernardino
and Gardena. All future WattEV depots will include MCS
charging.
WattEV has spent the past three years building out the first
freight corridors in the nation for public-access, MHD electric
vehicle charging. This includes large-scale solar-powered charging
depots in the permitting stages in Blythe (on Interstate 10) and
Sacramento, Gustine and Taft Highway (on Interstate 5) all in
California, as well as Salem, Oregon, and Seattle-Tacoma,
Washington (on Interstate 5).
Along with the Bakersfield depot, WattEV is completing the
electrification of the CA-99 freight corridor connecting the
nation's most productive agricultural region in the San Joaquin
Valley to major ports, with more depots planned in Fresno, Stockton
and Oakland.
To assist shippers and fleet operators with the transition to
zero-emission truck transport, WattEV offers an innovative electric
Truck-as-a-Service (TaaS) model that provides fleets or individual
operators with access to Class 8 battery-electric trucks, reliable
maintenance support, insurance, and charging across WattEV’s
network, all at a total cost of operation that is on par with
diesel trucks.
WattEV received some $5 million in grant funding from the
California Energy Commission to build the WattEV Bakersfield
charging depot, with future support from the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District to expand the capacity.
“We appreciate the leadership of WattEV in helping to move
forward nation-leading efforts to deploy the next generation of
zero-emissions freight infrastructure in the San Joaquin Valley,”
stated Samir Sheikh, Executive Director and Air Pollution Control
Officer for the Valley Air District.
“This charging depot is a significant milestone for the region
and state as a whole, and is a testament to the Valley Air
District's commitment to reducing air pollution, improving public
health, and supporting the Valley’s economy,” he said.
The APCD says mobile sources of emissions account for the single
largest source of ozone and PM2.5 forming NOx, toxic diesel
particulate matter, and greenhouse gas emissions in the Valley.
Reducing emissions from these mobile sources, including both
heavy-duty and light duty vehicles, is a critical component of the
District’s overall strategy to attain stringent health-based
federal air quality standards. With 45% of the truck traffic
in California occurring in the San Joaquin Valley, projects such as
these are critical in improving air quality in the
region.
Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board,
reiterated the clean air benefits WattEV’s Bakersfield charging
will bring to the San Joaquin Valley.
“With the opening of this latest of four charging depots across
California – all located in strategic locations that serve the
state’s freight industry – WattEV is demonstrating the
infrastructure build-out that will support a zero-emissions
future,” said Randolph. “The truckers who transport goods across
the state will be able to charge quickly, save on fueling costs,
and contribute to air quality solutions that create healthier
communities for all.”
To learn more about WattEV, visit www.WattEV.com.
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About WattEV
WattEV’s mission is to accelerate the transition of U.S.
trucking transport to zero-emissions. Through a combination of
business and technology innovations, WattEV creates charging
infrastructure and data-driven workflows, providing truckers and
fleet operators with the lowest total cost of ownership. WattEV’s
goal is to get 12,000 heavy-duty electric trucks on California
roads by 2030, exceeding existing forecasts. The company plans to
have 100 charging stations in operation by 2035.
- WattEV CEO, Salim Youssefzadeh, Holding MCS Charger
Michael Coates
WattEV
media@WattEV.com