DOE awards millions of dollars to fund heavy-duty EV charging projects in California, Arizona, Utah

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced a $68 million investment in public medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle charging infrastructure projects across the nation. The investment will provide funding for charging infrastructure built near major distribution hubs, ports, and busy interstate and highway corridors.

The initiative, which DOE refers to as SuperTruck Charge, will fund three different projects aimed at supporting large commercial EVs in long-haul applications (traveling more than 500 miles a day). One project will take place in Utah and will be facilitated by Voltera, a charging infrastructure developer.

Utah’s Supercharge project

The project is known as “SUPERCHARGE: Sustainable Utilization of Power Infrastructure Enabling Rapid and Replicable MHDVs Charging through Hybrid AC/DC Distribution Networks and Renewable Grid Energy Integration.”  

This project, awarded $22 million by DOE, will “establish a foundational anchor point to enable fleets operating in the area to test, pilot, and scale their deployments of electric trucks—some of which will be supported by the Utah Inland Port Authority via the Clean Ports Program,” Tom Ashley, VP of Voltera, told FleetOwner. 

See also: WattEV continues to make charging infrastructure a non-issue along the West Coast

According to Ashley, the project is unique because of its innovation. 

“The project vision includes a number of innovative technologies, including high power wireless charging, as well as more widely utilized charging equipment, simultaneously available to fleets engaged with the project,” Ashley told FleetOwner.

Another aspect that makes it unique is that it will act as “a reliable, replicable, and scalable charging infrastructure blueprint that can be implemented nationwide, even in areas with limited grid capacity,” according to the DOE announcement.

Further, using advanced facility energy, fleet management tools, and more, the project’s physical charging facility will provide 9 megawatts “of max concurrent charging capability and 12 megawatts of installed EV charging equipment”—all while drawing less than 4.5 megawatts from the grid, the announcement said.

To accomplish this, the project will include a microgrid.

“The project vision includes solar, a battery energy storage system, a direct current distribution system, and additional technology and software to support this amount of energy,” Ashley said.

While Voltera is facilitating the development, the scope of this project requires partnership. It includes partnerships with the leadership of Utah State University’s ASPIRE Research Center; Purdue University; the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; multiple fleets, truck manufacturers, and equipment suppliers; and the utility PacifiCorp.

See also: What are EV truck charging stations’ needs?

The SuperTruck Charge initiative

The two additional projects awarded DOE funding include:

• Supercharging the Southwest—Charging Deployment Along the Interstate 10 Corridor ($20 million): This project, awarded to Terawatt Infrastructure, will demonstrate “innovative grid and load management strategies,” according to a DOE release. It will provide “10 pull-through truck charging stalls with megawatt charging systems compatible chargers, solar canopies, and 3 megawatts of battery electric storage systems.” The project’s location is to be determined between Tuscan and Goodyear, Arizona.
• Mega Charging the Interstate 15 Corridor ($26 million): This project, awarded to Greenlane Infrastructure, will deploy a 10-plus megawatt EV charging station for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles at Greenlane Center in Barstow, California. Using a microgrid—solar arrays and energy storage—the facility will help “balance the utility load,” DOE stated. The project, designed to be scalable, will help support the adoption of Class 6-8 trucks operating along the I-15 corridor.

The SuperTruck Charge initiative is part of DOE’s SuperTruck Program. Yet while the SuperTruck and SuperTruck 2 Programs focused on demonstrations to make heavy-duty Class 8 internal combustion engine-powered vehicles as efficient as possible, this initiative will work toward the accelerated electrification of Class 5-8 commercial vehicles. (The SuperTruck 3 program, scheduled for 2027, will concentrate on electrified and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles.)

“The new SuperTruck Charge projects will add to [SuperTruck 1 and 2] advancements by demonstrating replicable models that deliver cost-effective, high-power charging for electric trucks while improving grid resiliency and reliability for medium- and heavy-duty EV deployment,” said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.