Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) Receives $1.5 Million in Federal Funding for Truck Charging Infrastructure Project

Thanks to a $1.5 million Community Project Funding (CPF) grant secured by Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and awarded to the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), LACI will help install public charging infrastructure dedicated for use by electric heavy-duty trucks that transport freight between the Port of Los Angeles and nearby distribution centers, a major step towards replacing the current fleet of highly-polluting diesel drayage trucks.

During a news conference at the Wilmington site of the future charging station this week, Rep. Barragán presented LACI’s President and CEO Matt Petersen with a check representing the investment, and together, they shared plans and renderings for the Port’s first-ever public EV truck fast-charging station.

“The success of our clean energy future requires investments in charging infrastructure today. LACI has the vision and capacity to accelerate the adoption of EV heavy-duty drayage trucks in support of decarbonization goals and to improve the health and welfare of our frontline communities,” said Rep. Barragán.

“The Los Angeles economy depends on trade and goods movement, but we also depend on healthy families and communities. That’s what today’s announcement is really about,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “I am proud to support the installation of electric charging at the Port of Los Angeles, and I’m grateful to Congresswoman Barragán, Port of Los Angeles staff and LACI for their leadership in making this possible.”

“We are deeply grateful for Congresswoman Barragán, who is an incredible advocate for reducing air pollution and protecting those communities that suffer the most: Black, brown, and low income neighborhoods near ports, freeways, and warehouses,” said Matt Petersen, LACI CEO and co-chair of the Transportation Electrification Partnership (TEP). “As LACI stressed in our clean trucks for clean air campaign last year, goods movement is critical to California’s prosperity, but is also the single largest source of air pollution in Greater LA – thanks to Representative Barragán, this initiative will bring to fruition years of work to advance zero emissions solutions to replace dirty diesel drayage trucks.”

“Today’s announcement is further proof of our commitment to achieving zero-emissions operations,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Lucille Roybal-Allard. “With strong partnerships – like those with Congressmember Barragán and the L.A. Cleantech Incubator – we will accelerate deployment of zero-emission trucks to do what’s right for the environment, right for the truckers, and right for our port communities.”

“While the Port of Los Angeles moves more containers than any other in the Western Hemisphere, our Harbor communities feel that impact daily by the emissions from the trucks going to and from,” said Councilmember Tim McOsker (CD-15). “As we work towards a goal of 100% clean energy trucks by 2035, with this charging station, we are one important step closer.”

Given that goods movement is the single largest source of air pollution in Greater Los Angeles, LACI’s Transportation Electrification Partnership (TEP) set a target for 40% of all short-haul drayage trucks to be zero emissions and 60% of all medium-duty delivery trucks to be electric by the time of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Further, the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach’s Joint Clean Air Action Plan – as does an executive order from Governor Gavin Newsom – requires 100% of the drayage trucks registered and serving the ports be zero emissions by 2035. This award to LACI will fund the first public depot charging infrastructure on Port of Los Angeles property that lays the groundwork for achievement of those goals.

The new chargers will be capable of providing electric drayage trucks with a full charge in half an hour. Drayage is a category of heavy-duty trucks designed to move containers and bulk freight short distances. Drayage trucks are constantly in motion at the Port and on surrounding roads and freeways. Their emissions are a major source of air pollution in the frontline communities adjacent to the Port and freeways, including along the I-710 and I-110.

To support the electrification of drayage and delivery trucks, LACI and the Transportation Electrification Partnership (TEP) are creating a detailed regional investment plan for innovative infrastructure solutions at industrial facilities and commercial zones along critical freight arteries feeding into I-710 freeway. This plan will leverage existing goods movement real estate assets (e.g. ports, warehouses, distribution centers, retail locations) to provide charging for different supply chain fleets.