At the Nexus of Transportation Electrification and Power Grid Transformation

The majority of the 5,000 attendees of ACT expo 2021 in Long Beach California seemed almost dazed to be among the large crowds as we gathered for the annual event – not only because we were back after COVID put a damper on all public events for the past one-plus years, but also because EV stakeholders seem to be coming out of the pandemic with a stronger than ever commitment to overcome the challenges of mass adoption of EVs.

For the myriad EVSE, EVSPs, OEMs, and tech suppliers who joined us at the event, it was clear that commercial and municipal fleets have largely embraced electrification as a major part of their business strategy and are moving forward with large numbers of battery electric vehicles.

A large part of the ACT expo conversation around the positive direction was echoed in a presentation from Cathy Zoi, president and CEO of EVgo Inc., the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) and first powered by 100% renewable electricity, who said that fleets need highly flexible and reliable power grid networks that can accommodate a host of different charging requirements. We couldn’t agree more!

EVgo, which showcased an IoTecha Level 2 charger at its booth, were among the industry experts who explained that last mile delivery fleets will likely be influential early adopters of EV technology. As Zoi explained during a presentation, fleets have options for charging solutions at their base of operations or shared hub stations, but widespread public charging networks remain elusive. To boot, interoperability remains a challenge, as Zoi noted, some fleets running one shift of trucks may only need one set of chargers but another may need fast-charging capabilities. The good news, as Zoi said, “we now have a national aspiration pushing adoption of electric vehicles. Hopefully reluctant power companies will staff up for what’s coming and … partner with fleets.”

ACT Expo each year presents a comprehensive assembly of advanced technology for commercial vehicles —including battery electric, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas, trucking efficiency, automated and connected tech, and more. This year Level 2 80A chargers seem to be in high demand, particularly for Last Mile Delivery fleets. Among the headline grabbers from the show floor was the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative announcement of its landmark initiative to deploy 100 battery-electric regional haul and drayage trucks across California. The Daimler Trucks North America and Volvo Trucks North America vehicles will be deployed by logistics companies NFI Industries and Schneider on freight corridors across California.

Hino also used the event to reveal its first Class 8 Hino XL8 prototype, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell electric drivetrain. Dana also announced that it will begin production of the eS9000r e-Axle—the first in a line of Spicer Electrified Zero-6 e-Axles—to support the market launch of the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation all-electric MT50e medium-duty last-mile delivery vehicle.The EV startup Canoo continued attracting considerable attention for its planned consumer-subscription service. As consumers wait in anticipation of the company’s first model (a battery-powered seven-seater van, expected in limited production in 2022), ACTExpo invited deeper explanation of the plan for the first customers to pay a one-time membership fee and a flat monthly rate for access. The startup’s seven-seater van is intended to fast-track sales of a last-mile commercial delivery van. Beyond the Expo floor, the event’s workshops covered everything from battery electric to smart charging with presentations from speakers across OEMs, infrastructure providers, and technology solution providers.

We are already looking forward to participating next year and hope you’ll join us for demonstrations of the latest IoTecha solutions at ACT Expo 2022, May 9-12, 2022.

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By Vincent Weyl, Senior VP of Growth at IoTecha