NFI Opens Battery-Electric Truck Depot in Ontario, California

JETSI project partner, NFI, a leading North American third-party supply chain solutions provider, has officially received all 50 Class 8 battery-electric trucks funded through the project—including 30 Freightliner eCascadia trucks and 20 Volvo VNR Electric trucks. To support its scaled battery-electric fleet, NFI has collaborated with Electrify America and Southern California Edison (SCE) with funding from the California Energy Commission to energize its electric charging depot at its warehouse facility in Ontario, California, completing a crucial milestone in the electrification of NFI’s dedicated port drayage services. NFI’s newly inaugurated electric truck maintenance shop at the site is also operational. 

Partners of the JETSI project, including NFI, California Air Resources Board CARB, CEC, South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), Daimler Truck North America, Volvo Trucks North America, GNA—a TRC Company, Electrify America, and SCE opened NFI’s electric charging depot at its warehouse facility in Ontario, California on February 27, completing a crucial milestone in the electrification of NFI’s dedicated port drayage services.

The event featured remarks from:

• Erik Neandross, President, GNA (a TRC Company)
• Brian Webb, President of Port Services, NFI
• Jessica Cordero, Vice President Operations and Drayage Support, NFI
• Jim O’Leary, Vice President of Assets, NFI
• Liane M. Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board
• Patty Monahan, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
• Michael Cacciotti, Vice Chair, South Coast Air Quality Management District
• Larry McCallon, Chair, Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

Event remarks were then followed by technology demonstrations ranging from:

• Charging infrastructure showcase and discussion with Electrify America and Volvo Trucks North America
• Maintenance facility showcase and discussion with NFI and Daimler Truck North America

“When we first started talking about electric trucks and doing electric truck projects, we had no idea it was going to be as complicated as it was to deliver the power necessary to charge our fleet,” said NFI Vice President of Assets, Jim O’Leary. “Without [project partners] and your support, achieving this crucial milestone in NFI’s port drayage fleet would not be possible.”