A new electric vehicle (EV) truck charging depot launched in May in Los Angeles is the product of an innovative public-private partnership between Prologis, Inc., Performance Team — A Maersk Company, and local utility companies.
The charging depot, Southern California’s largest for heavy-duty EVs, is located near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and powered by the nation’s largest EV truck microgrid, utilizing natural gas from Southern California Gas Co. Situated directly off the Harbor (110) Freeway on Denker Avenue, and within five miles of Interstate 405 and California State Route 91 (SR91), the 9 megawatt (MW) Denker charging depot can charge up to 96 EV trucks simultaneously.
Prologis and Performance Team constructed the facility in just five months. Performance Team will use its fleet of Volvo VNR Electric trucks, which have a range of 240 miles and can charge up to 80% in 90 minutes.
“It is our ambition to drive the industry shift toward decarbonized supply chains,” said Charles van der Steene, regional president for Maersk North America. “Expanding the charging infrastructure for commercial electric vehicles is a key part of that. This facility strengthens our ability to offer customers a decarbonized alternative to conventional trucking and brings us closer to our goal of reaching net zero by 2040.”
“We’re delighted to collaborate with Maersk on this important and innovative new commercial truck charging facility,” said Henrik Holland, global head of Prologis Mobility. “To bring the depot online quickly, we delivered an innovative on-demand charging solution as an interim power connection measure. The transition to zero emissions is a priority for both companies, and we’re proud to be on this journey together.”
California mandates an end to diesel truck sales and a shift to electric drayage trucks by 2035 and electric heavy-duty trucks by 2045. This project serves as a crucial component in meeting these state goals.
While utilities work on upgrading the electrical grid, companies like Prologis and Maersk are investing heavily in California to develop immediate solutions for getting EV trucks operational. In developing the Denker charging depot, Prologis installed infrastructure that accelerated project completion rather than waiting up to two years for grid upgrades.
Prologis developed an innovative charging solution with Mainspring Energy by building a microgrid capable of operating independently from the local grid. The Prologis Denker microgrid uses 2.75 MW of fuel-flexible, hydrogen-ready linear generators paired with 18 MWh of batteries to provide up to 9 MW of charging capacity.
“The future of heavy-duty trucking is pollution-free, and companies in California are leading the way,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “This public-private partnership to create California’s largest electric truck charging depot will reduce pollution and speed the adoption of electric trucks. In doing so, it helps build energy independence for our transportation sector. This project is a big step forward and a win-win for our environment and economy.”
With approximately 20,000 trucks serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, ongoing collaboration between government entities, regulators, and private industry will be essential in supporting this transition.
Officials from Prologis and Performance Team noted that expedited project delivery was made possible through strong partnerships with entities such as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for long-term design planning; the city of Los Angeles for permitting; and Southern California Gas Co., which powered the microgrid with natural gas.
The Denker charging depot marks their third collaborative commercial truck EV charging project in Southern California. Previous facilities at Santa Fe Springs and Commerce offer a combined total of 4 MW capacity — sufficient for charging 38 electric trucks.
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