Gage Zero, an Austin-based fleet electrification solutions company, and Hillwood recently announced plans to develop Texas' first public commercial EV charging facility, catering to trucks and last-mile fleets. Nestled within the 27,000-acre master-planned, mixed-use development of AllianceTexas, this project signifies a leap forward in sustainable infrastructure.
AllianceTexas is a global logistics hub consisting of the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility, one of the largest intermodal hubs in the nation, Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, and direct access to I-35W and State Highway 170.
"This groundbreaking initiative exemplifies our unwavering commitment to advancing sustainable infrastructure solutions that prioritize our customers' needs," said Russell Laughlin, executive VP of Hillwood. "Through the deployment of innovative technologies, we expect to significantly enhance transportation efficiency, particularly in the crucial first and last-mile segments of the logistics supply chain."
The Gage Zero team, led by founder and CEO Zeina El-Azzi, has $10 billion in combined experience deploying innovative, utility-scale clean energy projects around the globe. The company will develop, own, and operate the AllianceTexas EV charging hub as part of its network of sites planned throughout the U.S.
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"Hillwood is exactly the type of collaborator Gage Zero wants to work with to fulfill our mission," El-Azzi said. "As innovators and leaders in our industries, together we can solve the complexity of both land development and electrification for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in a convenient location for fleet customers. Projects like this serve as a blueprint for how fleets across the country can partner with land and clean energy developers to reduce their carbon footprint and meet sustainability goals."
Last year, Gage Zero announced a commitment of $300 million from ARC Financial Corp. to develop charging infrastructure sites for medium- and heavy-duty electric fleets because of the scale of the impact these vehicles have on the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, though they make up less than 5% of vehicles on the road in the U.S. today, M/HD fleets account for almost 25% of the transportation sector's emissions—with most of that impact on local communities where those trucks operate.
