WattEV CEO Salim Youssefzadeh announced at this year's ACT Expo that the California-based company will be increasing the size of its fleet to 180 electrified trucks by the end of this year, thus making it the largest electric truck fleet operating in the United States.
Clean Trucking sat down with Youssefzadeh at the Las Vegas show to discuss the upcoming truck delivery as well as WattEV's role as a trucking as a service (TaaS) company.
Last month, the company announced the opening of its fourth and, to date, largest battery electric charging station. This 119-acre site is located in Bakersfield, California and it's capable of accommodating medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks. It is also the world's largest solar-powered truck charging station and contains industry-critical 1,200 kW Megawatt rapid charging (MCS) stations that are capable of providing trucks with up to 300 miles of range in less than 30 minutes on a single charge.
[Related: ChargePoint: new Megawatt Charging System will revolutionize commercial trucking]
The site also features 16 dual-cord 360 kW and 15-single cord 240 kW combined charging system (CCS) chargers. These chargers get their power from the depot's five MW solar-powered microgrid that also features a battery energy storage system (BESS).
Like its other charging depots, located at the Port of Long Beach, San Bernardino, and Gardena, the Bakersfield location was designed and is fully owned and operated by WattEV.
The company is continuing to work on the electrification of the CA-99 corridor that will ensure the San Joaquin Valley’s connection to additional depots that are planned in Fresno, Stockton, and Oakland.
WattEV has been constructing these depots since 2022. The company is now in the permitting process of building additional solar-powered California charging depots. They will be located in Blythe, which is on the vital I-10 fleet corridor. Sacramento, Gustine, and the Taft Highway - all on the I-5 - are also set to receive new depots. Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, both also on the I-5, will get charging depots in the coming years.
