Greenlane Plans EV Truck Charging Corridor in the US

• Greenlane reveals plans for an EV truck charging route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas that will feature several stations, with over a hundred chargers in total meant for trucks and cars for the 280-mile route.

• The charging corridor will run along Interstate 15, featuring charging stations in Baker, Barstow, and Colton in California.

• The main plaza in Colton will feature some 60 chargers, meant for fast-charging and for overnight charging.

By now there are several cross-country route options for EVs stretching from east to west, making the trip far easier than just a few years ago.

But the same is not true for electric cargo trucks, which have started arriving on the market in the past few years. We've certainly seen EV truck charging stations appear in some ports, including the port of Long Beach, but EV infrastructure exclusively for trucks doesn't quite allow companies to wander too far from their depots or from the ports.

That's bound to change in the coming years, with Greenlane revealing plans for a charging corridor from Los Angeles to Las Vegas that will be equipped with more than one hundred chargers, as well as modern amenities for drivers.

Greenlane is a joint venture created in 2023 by Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), NextEra Energy Resources, and BlackRock Alternatives.

The charging corridor will run along Interstate 15, with initial charging plazas planned for Baker, Barstow, and Colton in California, linking the two major cities. An expansion is also expected in 2025, adding San Pedro to the charging route.

The charging station in Colton is slated to feature some 60 chargers including 400-kW units, while 200-kW chargers will be aimed at overnight use by trucks and buses.

The stations will also feature charging stalls for cars as well, so passenger vehicles won't be excluded.

The stations won't be positioned all that far apart, so even trucks with smaller ranges should be able to make the drive.

"Our findings indicated that placing the three stations approximately 60 to 90 miles apart would maximize uptime for day-cab drivers by enabling shorter charging sessions at each stop and ultimately allowing customers to move freight confidently without any limitations," said Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane.

The flagship station will be the one in Colton, with Greenlane predicting an opening in late 2024.

Greenlane notes that in planning the stations, it will take into account megawatt charging infrastructure currently being developed, once it arrives for truck use.

"The launch of this corridor not only marks a critical step in addressing the urgent need for publicly available, nationwide electric charging for commercial vehicles but will also serve as a model for the EV charging hubs of the future," Macdonald-King added.

The joint venture wants to eventually create a nationwide network of charging stations for commercial EVs, with such stations also designed to serve passenger cars.

Will we see electric semitrucks become commonplace in the US in this decade, or will this process take much longer? Let us know what you think.