LONG BEACH, Calif. — Forum Mobility opened its first EV truck charging station this month, offering nine megawatts of power and 44 fast-charging dispensers.
Anchor tenant and investor Amazon, along with Talon Logistics and Redefined Transportation, are among the initial users of the site, nestled on less than two acres alongside a freight rail line and an on-ramp to the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge.
“This depot represents cost-effective and accessible infrastructure for drayage operators so they can grow their business and comply with regulation,” Forum Mobility EVP of Commercial Operations Will Mitchell said in an interview.
The charging station, named FM Harbor, welcomed its first Freightliner eCascadia during a visit by Trucking Dive on Friday, with Forum Mobility staffers assisting the driver in the charging process.
The site was otherwise empty of trucks during the 10 a.m. PST visit, because trucks were already running freight, Forum Mobility employees said.
FM Harbor also powers about a dozen of Amazon’s Volvo VNR heavy-duty EVs for first- and middle-mile operations. It has capacity for hundreds of trucks per day near the Port of Long Beach, which handles 7,000 trucks per day.
Visiting the station provided a first-hand look at the charging process, which takes about an hour and a half for an 80% charge, depending on the type of truck and battery.
Speed bumps on the fresh-paved and painted parking lot emphasize the significantly higher torque of EV trucks compared to their diesel counterparts.
“These are very fast, torque-oriented vehicles,” Mitchell said.
Security is a priority at the converted former diesel fueling site, which is guarded by a fence, cameras and personnel.
In a LinkedIn announcement of the site, Forum Mobility thanked the Port of Long Beach, Southern California Edison, Zerova Technologies, GAA Architects and PAR Western Line Contractors for their support in opening the site.
The site is part of the Port of Long Beach’s push to reach 100% zero-emissions drayage operations by 2035 and Amazon’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Forum Mobility plans to develop eight more charging stations across California in areas including Compton, the Inland Empire, Oakland and Stockton over the next couple of years.
Several small- and medium-sized fleets have reservations at FM Harbor, including via a partnership with Ocean Network Express and BoxLinks that is providing a free electric truck for small fleets to test.
A subsidized EV truck leasing program is also available through Climate United for fleets interested in using Forum Mobility’s charging stations to electrify their operations.
