A.P. Moller - Maersk, PepsiCo and DB Schenker plan to pilot a heavy-duty electric trucking corridor along Interstate 10 between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, according to an announcement this week.
The coalition’s trucks will use Terawatt Infrastructure charging software, operations and maintenance support, at six of the company’s charging hubs. The corridor will go live in 2027, a spokesperson told Trucking Dive.
Microsoft and AIT Worldwide Logistics also joined the coalition of shippers and carriers launched Tuesday by the Smart Freight Center, a climate nonprofit.
The group’s investment is focused on one of the key corridors designated by the Department of Transportation as a priority for zero-emissions investments in March. Others, such as Greenlane, are similarly partnering with the government to advance zero-emission projects.
The EV trucking corridor plans are being released as trucking carriers argue the shift to electric operations is not feasible on timelines set out by the Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board.
Electrifying trucking on a meaningful scale requires all stakeholders to invest in expanding the electric grid for charging capabilities, said Charles van der Steene, Maersk North America regional president, in the announcement.
“With our ambition to reach net zero by 2040, we’re committed to being part of collaborative efforts like these, which help move us toward our goal and allow us to offer customers a pathway toward a decarbonized alternative for trucking,” van der Steene said.
The coalition’s I-10 corridor plan puts forward a concrete roadmap to scaling fleet electrification into the broader freight ecosystem, said Neha Palmer, CEO and co-founder of Terawatt, in the announcement.
“As we continue to build out the I-10 electric corridor and utilize the recent $63.8M in grant funding alongside [the New Mexico Department of Transportation] to develop reliable charging infrastructure solutions, we have a historic opportunity to work with global leaders who share our vision and investment into the sustainable future of mobility,” Palmer said.
The Los Angeles-to-El Paso EV trucking pilot is key to Microsoft’s carbon-neutral goals, said Cliff Henson, corporate VP of the Microsoft Cloud Supply Chain, in the announcement.
“This collaborative coalition is an important step in advancing electric-powered, heavy-duty fleet transport,” Henson said.
