Los Angeles case study: how to prepare the grid for electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks

Los Angeles is a hub of freight activity—and (not coincidentally) the home of the worst ozone pollution in the nation. Electrifying trucks in La-la Land will deliver an outsize benefit in emissions reduction. The city needs many more chargers suitable for medium- and heavy-duty EVs, and managed charging, which maximizes the number of trucks that can charge for a given grid connection, will be a critical part of the ecosystem.

Fleet operators, CaaS (Charging-as-a-Service) providers and other stakeholders need data on where and when MDHD trucks currently operate, where future power demand will be, and how this demand will impact the grid.

A new analysis from the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Mission Possible Partnership uses Geotab Altitude truck travel data to provide a picture of the city’s trucking scene. The report is designed to help identify areas where new chargers and CaaS solutions will have the greatest impact. It also explains how fleets can use managed charging to minimize charging load during peak demand times.

Areas with the largest power demand include the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (already home to several existing or planned e-truck charging facilities) and downtown Los Angeles, as well as the city of San Fernando. In general, areas with high projected demand coincide with those where truck logistics facilities exist today.

The RMI report compares the usage patterns of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Both vehicle types tend to return to their depots around 4 pm, but their schedules diverge later in the day. HD trucks consume more power overall and tend to drive more miles per day. The researchers found that the median truck has 15 hours of downtime per day and that, even on busy days, trucks are not used 24 hours.

Managed charging is a powerful way for fleets to save money, improve operations and reduce pressure on the grid. Managed charging better leverages existing infrastructure, reducing the dreaded long wait times for infrastructure upgrades.

Source: Rocky Mountain Institute