Electric Truck Research and Utilization Center (eTRUC) for RHETTA

Phase A Commissioning - Advanced Transportation Research Center (ATRC)

Grid Decarbonization and Decentralization Low Carbon Transportation

Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.

Recipient

Palo Alto, CA

Recipient Location

13th

Senate District

23rd

Assembly District

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$5,734,735

Amount Spent

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Active

Project Status

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Project Update

Some of the key accomplishments of the eTRUC project in 2024 include:
• The launch of the Regional Freight Heatmap and coordination with the CEC AB 2127 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Assessment effort to align and improve assumptions used in Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's HEVI-LOAD model to project truck charging demand.
• The publishing of six reports assessing technology maturity of high-power charging and assessing fleet charging infrastructure needs.
• Construction and development at both pilot truck charging sites in Ontario and Carson, CA.
• SCE's EV Charging Lab in Pomona, CA is now open for testing up to 350kW with plans to increase to MW+ levels in 2025.
• Partnering with six community engagement and workforce development CBOs to connect eTRUC with communities within the project area.
• Presenting at the 2024 EPIC Symposium breakout session on Accelerating MDHD Transportation Electrification.

In 2025, eTRUC is expected to accomplish the following:
• Advanced Transportation Research Center (ATRC) Opening: The next phase of SCE's EV high-power charging lab in Pomona, CA will be completed. The lab will accommodate systems that require 12kV or 480V grid connections and will offer 2MW direct grid capability at 12kV.
• Pilot Demonstration Sites: Both the TravelCenters of America Ontario site and MHX Carson site have forecasted construction completion dates in mid-2025, with a forecasted go live date in late-2025.
• Workforce Development Tool: The tool will identify gaps in local workforce trainings programs for MDHD charging jobs from 2030-2040.
• Statewide Corridor Charging Infrastructure Deployment Plan: A sequential plan for future deployment and scale-up of an advanced high-power public charging network expanding from the targeted freight corridor(s).
• Regional Freight Heatmap 2.0: In coordination with the CEC AB2127 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Assessment and LBNL, the next iteration of the regional freight heatmap will present multiple layers of deployment of public stations needed to support the full deployment of battery electric trucks in California.

Visit eTRUC.org to learn more.

The Issue

Drayage and other fleets beginning to adopt large weight class battery electric trucks face challenges related to meeting many diverse operational requirements and installing adequate charging infrastructure in optimal locations. There is a lack of publicly accessible high-power charging stations available to all fleets, which could greatly improve the range and flexibility of heavy-duty electric trucks operating in highly trafficked freight corridors. There is a need to improve coordination between electric truck and charger manufacturers, state and local planning agencies, utilities, and impacted communities.

Project Innovation

eTRUC is a stakeholder-driven consortium of industry, government, academia, and community partners committed to the development, advancement, and deployment of innovative heavy-duty high-power charging infrastructure along key freight corridors that promote the adoption of battery-electric trucks. eTRUC follows a “Community First” approach to 1) engage stakeholders, 2) advance technology, and 3) create zero-emission freight corridors. eTRUC's scope includes investigating high efficiency high power charging components, systems, and standards; collecting, aggregating, and visualizing data on large weight class truck traffic in Southern California and statewide; and deploying public access high power charging infrastructure and distributed energy resources at two pilot sites that increase the operational flexibility of large battery electric trucks focusing initially on drayage operations. eTRUC also includes production of workforce development strategies and guidebooks for future deployments that can support state goals related to deployment of ZEVs and infrastructure.

Project Goals

Leverage industry, community, regulatory, and stakeholder engagement to advance heavy-duty (HD) BEV tech.

Reduce GHG and criteria pollutant emissions in and around freight facilities and corridors.

Provide economic, environmental, and public health benefits to disadvantaged and low-income communities.

Support development and deployment of emerging high-power truck charging technologies.

Develop and disseminate learnings and best practices for deployment of public corridor HD charging infrastructure.

Project Benefits

The eTRUC project aims to address multiple barriers to electrifying trucks and benefit ratepayers. This includes development of local resources for evaluating emerging high-power charging technologies, demonstrating innovative public truck charging configurations and business models, improving data-informed projections of truck charging demand, and developing frameworks for planning charging infrastructure considering community and workforce impacts and benefits.

Affordability

eTRUC will contribute to more thoughtful and well-informed preparation of truck charging infrastructure projects and associated grid upgrades.

Environmental Sustainability

The high power charging technologies and public charging demonstration sites supported by eTRUC can help reduce greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions from HD trucks benefiting burdened communities located in and around freight corridors.

Equity

eTRUC will develop a tool to identify gaps in local workforce trainings programs for future MDHD charging jobs. eTRUC will also develop an equity layer for its Regional Freight Heatmap that can better inform charging infrastructure planning efforts with equity metrics.