https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/04/daimler-is-setting-up-a-650-million-charging-network-for-commercial-evs/ Skip to main content * Biz & IT * Tech * Science * Policy * Cars * Gaming & Culture * Store * Forums Subscribe [ ] Close Navigate * Store * Subscribe * Videos * Features * Reviews * RSS Feeds * Mobile Site * About Ars * Staff Directory * Contact Us * Advertise with Ars * Reprints Filter by topic * Biz & IT * Tech * Science * Policy * Cars * Gaming & Culture * Store * Forums Settings Front page layout Grid List Site theme light dark Sign in long-haul charging -- Daimler is setting up a $650 million charging network for commercial EVs Greenlane will build sites along freight routes, starting in Southern California. Jonathan M. Gitlin - Apr 28, 2023 3:55 pm UTC A rendering of a truck stop for electric trucks Enlarge / No, not Radiator Springs, but a rendering of Greenlane's electric truck stop. Greenlane reader comments 50 with There's a new fast-charging network coming to North America. It's called Greenlane, and it's a $650 million joint venture between Daimler, NextEra Energy Resources, and a BlackRock investment fund. But it's unlikely you'll recharge your passenger EV at a Greenlane site any time soon--this new network is being designed specifically for medium- and heavy-duty commercial EVs. You'd be forgiven for not noticing the expansion of the nation's public charging infrastructure. Unlike gas stations, charging sites don't announce their presence with a 50-foot illuminated sign--you often need an app to know exactly where they all are--but they're building out to the point where much more long-distance driving is possible on electric power than the EV-curious might think (or worse, than the EV skeptic might claim). But this public infrastructure is almost entirely designed for light-duty vehicles--sedans, crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks. The charging spaces are light-vehicle-sized, and the sites are designed to work with vehicles of that size, not several classes higher. This is less of a problem for vehicle fleets that set off and return to the same place after each shift. Whether it's FedEx or UPS or the USPS with electric delivery vans or a local municipality that has purchased a fleet of electric buses, those just need to be plugged in once they're done for the day, and they'll be ready to start the next day with a full battery. Advertisement But longer-haul trips by electric tractor-trailers will require recharging along the route. And even with the best will in the world, you're unlikely to fit an eCascadia class 8 truck into an Electrify America or Tesla Supercharger stall--at least, not in a way that would get you invited back again. Based on the company's renderings, Greenlane's sites will be much more comfortable for big rigs. The first of these sites will be in Southern California, and Greenlane says it will build out a network along critical freight routes on the East and West Coasts, as well as in Texas. To begin with, the company will focus on commercial EV recharging, but refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell EVs will follow. In time, Greenlane plans to add chargers for passenger (or light-duty) EVs. "Greenlane is designed to begin to tackle one of the greatest hurdles to the trucking industry's decarbonization--infrastructure," said John O'Leary, Daimler Trucks North America's president and CEO. "The nation's fleets can only transform with the critical catalyst of publicly accessible charging designed to meet the needs for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Together with our strong partners, BlackRock and NextEra Energy Resources, we are launching Greenlane to address the unique demands of the industry, support our mutual customers, and provide a dual benefit to all electric vehicle drivers who will be able to utilize this new network. We're excited to take this next step and look forward to sharing more of Greenlane's plans in the future," O'Leary said. reader comments 50 with Jonathan M. Gitlin Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. Advertisement Promoted Comments [avatar] bburdge You'd be forgiven for not noticing the expansion of the nation's public charging infrastructure. It is actually surprising, I was looking at the CO EV dashboard the other day, and seeing how fast the ramp has been; especially for CCS charging. A lot of these are relatively slow 62.5KW units that Chargepoint has rolled out, but still makes a ton of Colorado accessible by EV. CO_DCFC_dashboard_0121_0423.jpg April 28, 2023 at 4:36 pm Channel Ars Technica - Previous story Next story - Related Stories Today on Ars * Store * Subscribe * About Us * RSS Feeds * View Mobile Site * Contact Us * Staff * Advertise with us * Reprints Newsletter Signup Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. Sign me up - CNMN Collection WIRED Media Group (c) 2023 Conde Nast. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1 /20) and Ars Technica Addendum (effective 8/21/2018). 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