The Port of Long Beach announced that the growing fleet of electric trucks serving the port will now be able to charge at a new depot scheduled to begin construction in mid-2024 along Pico Avenue just north of the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge.

The Port said it is partnering with Forum Mobility, a zero-emission drayage trucking solutions provider, to offer 19 dual-port chargers and six single-dispenser chargers at the new station, capable of charging heavy-duty electric trucks in about 90 minutes, depending on battery size.

The depot, located at 260 Pico Ave., is scheduled to go online in fall 2024.

"Forum Mobility is taking the next step toward helping the Port achieve its goal of having 100 public charging stations in the Port available for heavy-duty trucks by 2026, which will help us transition away from diesel fuel and move toward a zero-emission future," said Mario Cordero, CEO at the Port of Long.

"We are proud to be an industry leader in the sustainable movement of goods as we continue to make dramatic reductions in air pollution," he added.

First zero emissions port

"We thank Forum Mobility for delivering the necessary infrastructure to help us become the world’s first zero-emissions port," commented Bobby Olvera Jr., president of the Long Beach Harbor Commission.

"We must enhance air quality for our surrounding communities and have an obligation to assist our local truckers with cost-effective solutions to operate more sustainably."

Matt LeDucq, CEO and co-founder of Forum Mobility, noted that the company is building the infrastructure for heavy-duty trucks to transition from diesel to electricity.

"This partnership provides drayage truckers a solution to comply with California Air Resources Board regulations at a convenient location and a competitive cost. Forum is building a network of charging depots at the ports, along freight corridors and near distribution centres to serve owner-operators and carriers of all sizes in the transition to zero-emission vehicles," he added.

In addition to the Port of Long Beach, Forum Mobility has eight charging depots in advanced stages of development scheduled to open within the next two years at seaports and along goods movement corridors throughout California.

The announcement comes as the California Air Resources Board will require any new drayage trucks registered to serve the San Pedro Bay ports complex as of Jan. 1, 2024, to be zero-emissions and for the entire drayage fleet to be zero-emissions by 2035. 

To assist truck drivers with making the transition, the Port of Long Beach is partnering with the Port of Los Angeles, CARB and CALSTART to make US$60 million in Clean Truck Fund Rate funding available for vouchers toward the purchase of zero-emission, Class 8 drayage trucks operating within the San Pedro Bay ports complex.

With funds collected by the San Pedro Bay ports, up to US$436,000 per truck is available through the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Incentive Project.