TeraWatt Infrastructure, an electric vehicle charging infrastructure company, is developing the first network of high-powered charging centers for heavy-duty and medium-duty electric trucks along Interstate 10, stretching from the Port of Long Beach in California to the El Paso, Texas, area.
The I-10 electric corridor will consist of TeraWatt charging centers spread across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The charging centers will be purpose-built for commercial vehicles and feature dozens of direct-current fast chargers, pull-through charging stalls, on-site driver amenities, and operations such as resiliency generation and zero-carbon electricity options. TeraWatt will offer access to these sites to both long-haul and local electric trucking operations.
The charging centers are located about 150 miles apart to support the mileage range of commercially available electric trucks. These sites are located less than 1 mile from the nearest highway exits for ease of access and range, and they range in size from 4 to 100 acres, depending on location.
See also: Voltera execs talk fleet charging infrastructure challenges, opportunities
“Long-haul trucking electrification represents a significant opportunity to reduce transportation sector emissions but hinges on the rapid scale-up of specialized charging infrastructure,” TeraWatt CEO Neha Palmer said. “Our real estate and energy infrastructure development platform uniquely positions TeraWatt to solve the ‘charging problem’ for trucking operators, making freight electrification achievable within their operations.”
TeraWatt will operate and maintain its charging centers and incorporate technology as commercially appropriate, such as battery-backed renewable energy and megawatt charging stations. TeraWatt is partnering with local and state governments and utilities, and plans to leverage various grants and incentives, such as those most available in California.
Truck makers such as Volvo, an early leader in heavy-truck electrification, also are starting to answer the customer demand for answers, financing, and infrastructure when it comes to charging solutions and has started a fledgling charging network among its California truck dealerships that is open to any brand of commercial electric vehicle, not just its regional Volvo VNR Electric.
