Nature hikes and beach cleanups typically mark Earth Day on April 22 each year.
But the Port of Los Angeles celebrated on Monday with its own unique flair, unveiling the latest in clean heavy-duty trucks: zero-emission fuel cell electric trucks developed by Toyota and Kenworth in collaboration with the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board.
The California Air Resources Board has awarded $41 million to the Port of Los Angeles for the project as part of California Climate Investments, a California initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Port of Los Angeles will have 10 fuel cell electric trucks that will be put to use hauling cargo in the coming year, adding to two trucks already making the rounds. The trucks will be operated by Toyota Logistics Services, UPS, Total Transportation Services and Southern Counties Express.
The fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks are the latest promise to drastically cut emissions in local ports, a mission that’s shown impressive gains since it was launched in 2006 with the Clean Air Action Plan jointly approved by the Los Angeles and Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.
Dubbed the ‘Shore-to-Store” project, the fuel cell trucks are the product of a collaboration by Toyota and Kenworth.
The port has been testing two of the trucks over the past two years, said Bob Carter, executive vice president of Toyota, describing the fully loaded trucks, matching the loads of other trucks moving up and down the 710 Freeway.
The big difference?
“They produced absolutely zero emissions. Let that sink in,” Carter said. “… It has the ability to literally change the air we breathe.”
Running largely on diesel, some 16,000 container trucks serve the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, making that piece of the pollution puzzle a major one to solve. Truck numbers are expected to grow to 32,000 by 2030, according to a news release from Toyota.
The 10 new trucks will be part of the Zero and near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF) as the port continues to test the evolving technology coming on line.
Also involved in the collaboration is Shell. Two new large-capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations will be developed by Shell in Wilmington and Ontario. They will join three additional stations at Toyota’s Long Beach Logistics Services and Gardena R&D facilities to provide a five-station fueling network for the Los Angeles basin.
Among the most promising aspects of the vehicles is that they offer an estimated range of 300 miles per “fill,” twice that of a typical drayage truck and significantly more than battery-operated vehicles’ typical range of about 100 miles.
Hydrogen fuel cell, natural gas and battery vehicles are among several technologies being developed and tested as ports and other industries try to reduce emissions. Many of the innovative vehicles remain in a testing and early production phase as advances are made.
The port, said Chris Cannon, chief sustainability officer for the Port of Los Angeles, is “fuel and technology neutral. May the best technology win.”
But he added: “Hydrogen fuel technology is something we believe has tremendous promise.”
“The costs are going to have to come down,” he said of the more expensive technology. “It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s one we’re excited about.”
Since passing the Clean Air Action Plan in 2006, the twin Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have made some significant strides in cutting pollution.
But there is more to do and tough zero-emission goals are looming on the horizon in the 2030s.
