WattEV has inaugurated its fourth electric truck charging depot in Bakersfield, California.
The Bakersfield depot, spanning 119 acres, connects the agricultural sector and warehousing complexes of the San Joaquin Valley to California’s seaports and inland destinations. This site is distinguished as the world’s first electric truck stop featuring a solar-powered microgrid with a battery energy storage system (BESS) and megawatt rapid charging (MCS).
The depot is equipped with 16 dual-cord 360kW chargers, 15 single-cord 240kW CCS chargers, and three MCS 1,200kW rapid chargers. The MCS chargers can significantly reduce truck charging time to less than 30 minutes for a 300-mile range, according to WattEV CEO Salim Youssefzadeh.
“Reducing the charge time to less than 30 minutes for a 300-mile range will be a game-changer in the adoption of electric trucks,” Youssefzadeh said. “We designed all our facilities to transition from the current CCS charging standard to the faster MCS charging.”
Located near the junction of highways CA-99 and CA-65, the depot serves heavy-duty electric trucks on routes connecting the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural sector and distribution warehouses to the state’s seaports and inland destinations throughout Southern California and the West. The facility also features amenities such as restrooms and a commercial centre with space for shops.
This is the third new electric truck charging depot WattEV has opened in California in the past month, in addition to the Port of Long Beach station which began operations in July 2023. Other operational locations include San Bernardino and Gardena, with all future depots to include MCS charging.
Over the past three years, WattEV has developed the first public-access freight corridors for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle charging. Upcoming projects include solar-powered charging depots in Blythe, Sacramento, Gustine, and Taft Highway in California, as well as in Salem, Oregon, and Seattle-Tacoma, Washington.
The Bakersfield depot completes the electrification of the CA-99 freight corridor, with further plans for depots in Fresno, Stockton, and Oakland.
WattEV’s innovative electric Truck-as-a-Service (TaaS) model aids shippers and fleet operators in transitioning to zero-emission truck transport by providing access to Class 8 battery-electric trucks, maintenance support, insurance, and charging across WattEV’s network at a cost comparable to diesel trucks.
The California Energy Commission granted $5 million to support the construction of the Bakersfield charging depot, with additional support from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to expand capacity.
Samir Sheikh, Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer for the Valley Air District, highlighted the importance of such projects in reducing emissions and improving public health. “This charging depot is a significant milestone for the region and state as a whole,” he said.
