What you need to know:
- Zeem Solutions (a Trucking-as-a-Service provider) is building a zero-emissions commercial vehicle charging depot near Seattle’s SeaTac Airport.
- The location is strategically positioned close to I-5 and SR-99, and between the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
- While open to light- and medium-duty EVs, the site will especially be focused on Class 8 electric trucks.
- Initial capacity: six 400kW DC fast chargers with plans to expand to serve 250 vehicles and include overnight parking for 70 trucks.
Battery-electric commercial vehicle charging with a specific focus on Class 8 rigs is coming to Seattle's SeaTac Airport.
California-based Zeem Solutions, a Trucking-as-a-Service (TaaS) provider, has officially announced plans to build a new zero-emissions charging facility "in the vicinity" of the airport, which is located about 15 and 20 miles, respectively, from the busy Ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
Clean Trucking recently received a tour from Zeem Solutions Founder and CEO Paul Gioupis of the company’s 3.1-acre flagship EV charging depot just minutes from LAX. It's just the beginning of more to come, Gioupis says.
[Related: Go inside America's busiest electric truck charging depot]
"This [Seattle depot] is going to be the beginning of a very wild expansion," he told Clean Trucking. "It was a really good process of working with Washington State's people. They were very surgical. They did due diligence especially with tax payer dollars right from the beginning.
The new depot will be located near the I-5 exit ramp south of SeaTac, along the SR-99 highway where there's already several warehouses and distribution centers. Light- and medium-duty electric commercial vehicles will also have access to the depot.
The completed facility will initially boast six DC fast charger ports with 400kW charging hardware to allow for quick charging stops and overnight charging. Plans are already in place to add more chargers that can service 250 vehicles, along with overnight parking for 70 vehicles.
Drivers will benefit from a number of on-site amenities, among them a lounge and 24-hour on-site charging attendants tasked with ensuring smooth operations. Parking, security, maintenance, vehicle cleaning services, and airport shuttles will also be included.
Zeem will begin construction of the new depot this fall and the vehicles are due to hit the road by 2026. The new charging depot is a big deal for the Puget Sound region as it'll help improve air quality and health of nearby residents living near the busy I-5 corridor.
Zeem Solutions Founder and CEO Paul Gioupis (center) poses with NWSA officials. Zeem Solutions
At present, around 4,000 short-haul trucks serve both ports, traveling daily to local distribution centers and warehouses.
The company also confirmed that six local fleet operators will purchase 19 brand-new electric trucks at prices "competitive with traditional diesel trucks" thanks to a $5.12 million grant provided by the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) to Zeem Solutions.
The project received funding from Northwest Seaport Alliance, made possible by a $6.2 million dollar grant from WSDOT via Climate Commitment Act funding, Washington’s cap-and-invest program supporting climate, jobs and public health. The grant further aims to spur private investment from project participants, with Zeem and its fleet partners contributing a substantial portion of the total project costs.
The money will be used by local truck fleets towards the high purchase costs of battery-electric Class 8 rigs and other upfront purchase costs needed for charging infrastructure.
"The new Kenworth T680E, which promises up to 250 miles [on a single charge], was chosen to ensure success will be there." Other truck OEMs have also expressed interest in doing business with Zeem.
"We are thankful to the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) for their strong commitment to electrifying the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle," Gioupis added. "With three years of experience servicing medium-and heavy-duty fleets, we invite trucking operators to visit our site and learn how our bundled offering helps them meet or exceed their economic expectations while having a significant positive impact on the environment."
Earlier this year, NWSA announced its Decarbonizing Drayage to 2050 Roadmap, which outlines nearly 70 recommendations aimed at making zero-emission trucks affordable and available and building the required charging infrastructure.
Zeem Solutions currently operates three charging depots, including LAX, and aims to launch 14 additional depots nationwide over the next 36 months.
[Related: Zeem Solutions breaks ground on America's largest charging depot]
