WattEV, a provider of electric freight operations, announced an award for 370 Tesla Semi Class 8 electric trucks. According to the company, that’s the largest single electric truck deployment in California.
370 Tesla Semis
The first 50 Tesla Semis are scheduled to start in 2026 (a year ago, WattEV planned to take delivery of 40 units in 2026 and install Tesla chargers), while the remaining 320 units will be deployed by the end of 2027.
WattEV explains that more than 300 of the Tesla Semis will be deployed under a joint program with the Port of Oakland.
Charging Infrastructure
WattEV aims to build a network of charging stations/depots. The company has six operational depots in Southern California, located at the Port of Long Beach, San Bernardino, Gardena, Bakersfield (solar-powered), Vernon, and Oxnard. See the locations here.
15 additional sites are under “active development”, including the Port of Oakland, Fresno, Stockton, and Sacramento, which will go live this year:
“Delivery of the first 50 Semis coincides with WattEV’s planned opening of truck-charging stations at the Port of Oakland and in Fresno, both equipped with Tesla’s Megawatt Charging System (MCS) chargers capable of providing 300 miles of range to a Semi in approximately 30 minutes, comparable to a conventional diesel fill-up. Additional depots are scheduled to open this year in Stockton along with Sacramento breaking ground in 2026.”
WattEV depots (Image credit: WattEV)
WattEV plans a gradual, nationwide expansion. One of the earlier press releases mentioned a goal of 12,000 electric heavy-duty trucks in California by 2030 and 100 operational depots by 2035. Last year, WattEV’s 75-truck fleet electrified freight surpassed 7 million freight miles since inception.
The charging stations have a mix of CCS1 and Megawatt Charging System (MCS) chargers. In the long term, MCS is the way to go. The MCS infrastructure can be purchased from a variety of suppliers, including Tesla, which recently launched its Semi Charging for Business program.
Youssefzadeh, WattEV’s CEO, said at the annual ACT Expo industry trade show in Las Vegas.:
“We selected the Tesla Semi based on cost, performance and availability after issuing a public request for proposals”
“This deployment is a major step toward WattEV’s national expansion into long-haul electric transportation. We intend to be the operator that builds the infrastructure, the fleet, and the logistics platform for electrified freight delivery at scale,”
“We expect diesel fuel costs will continue to be a decisive factor in fleet procurement decisions. Our electrified freight solutions allow us to deliver goods at better economics compared to diesel today, and as energy costs diverge further, the economic case only strengthens.”