LA Port to purchase 20 newly produced electric trucks

A FACTORY in the Los Angeles area has begun manufacturing electric trucks to move containers around port terminals. The new factory is operated by Balqon Corporation.

"The support and collaboration we received from the port and City of Los Angeles enabled us to develop, test and now move into production with a first-of-its-kind, heavy-duty electric truck in less than two years," said Balwinder Samra, Balqon Corp., president and CEO in an American Shipper report.

As part of the port's Clean Air Action Plan, the development and demonstration of the Balqon electric truck was co-funded by the port and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) at a cost of US$527,000, it said.

The electric trucks can pull a 60,000-pound cargo container at a top speed of 40 mph, and has a range between 30 to 60 miles per battery charge. The battery charger can charge up to four electric trucks simultaneously in four hours and can also provide up to 60 per cent of the charge in one hour to meet peak demands during daily operations.

The Los Angeles Harbour Commission now plans to purchase 20 electric trucks from the manufacturer as part of its "green terminal" programme.

The green programme will also include production of five on-road electric trucks. Balqon will work with the port and US Department of Transportation to obtain the appropriate certification for on-road use. In total, the port is investing more than $5.6 million to demonstrate the viability of electric drayage trucks.

The port said on a kilowatt-hour of energy cost basis, the electric truck costs roughly 20 cents a mile to operate. On a per-mile cost basis, a common diesel truck could cost anywhere from four to nine times as much, depending on fluctuating fuel costs and how long the truck is used each day, the report noted.

Source: Schednet