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Nonprofit pledges $250 million to electrify California’s port trucking fleet

Climate United and Forum Mobility announced a $250 million initiative to deploy 500 electric Class 8 trucks and charging stations to replace diesel vehicles at California’s ports, aiming to empower small trucking operators to transition to zero-emissions.

Jeff St. John reports for Canary Media.

In short:

Climate United’s program offers affordable financing and charging access for small operators allowing them to adopt electric trucks.
The Port of Long Beach has about 500 electric trucks and this program aims to double that number in California’s busiest ports.
The initiative aligns with California's goal of converting all port drayage trucks to zero emissions by 2035 improving air quality for nearby communities.

Key quote:

“We want to get small fleet owners into electric trucks. That’s really letting them lead this transition in a way that shows it’s feasible, so we can transition not just the tens of thousands of trucks in ports in California, but then take it across the country.”

— Beth Bafford, CEO of Climate United

Why this matters:

Diesel trucks serving California ports pollute heavily, especially impacting nearby low-income communities. Expanding electric truck fleets can reduce emissions, lower trucking costs and create a model for nationwide port fleet electrification.

Learn more: West Coast embraces electric big trucks, leading by example

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