Toyota's Zero Emissions Trucks Program Gets Boost From CARB, UPS, Shell, and Others

Toyota and its partners will soon be adding ten more working trucks to the Port of Los Angeles. Torque News has been following Toyota's progress as it went from the alpha to beta stages, and now to this stage with ten more zero-emissions drayage trucks hauling freight out of the port of Los Angeles. The ten new trucks are enabled by a partnership between Toyota, Shell, Southern Counties Express, and United Parcel Service. The California Air Resources Board (CARB)is providing about $41 million in matching funds derived from cap and trade CO2 taxation.

The project -- proposed with support from Toyota, Kenworth, and Shell -- provides a large-scale “shore to store” plan and a hydrogen fuel-cell-electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement. The group says that initiative will help reduce emissions by 465 metric tons of Greenhouse Gas and 0.72 weighted tons of NOx, ROG and PM10.

“The Port of Los Angeles is showing the world that we don’t need to choose between environmental stewardship and economic growth — and this funding will help put zero emissions goods movement within our reach,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “I am grateful to CARB for this investment in America’s Port, as we continue to lead the drive toward a more sustainable future.”

Toyota is partnering with Kenworth to build the ten new zero-emissions hydrogen fuel-cell-electric Class 8 on-road trucks on the Kenworth T680 platform. Shell will deploy two new hydrogen fueling stations in Wilmington and Ontario, California.

“Toyota believes that zero-emissions fuel-cell-electric technology, and the scalability, throughput speed, and driving range advantages of its hydrogen fuel, has the potential to become the powertrain of the future – and the capabilities of fuel-cell-electric heavy trucks are a big reason why,” said Toyota Motor North America Executive Vice President Bob Carter. “We are proud to team with the Port of Los Angeles, Kenworth and Shell and the operating partners to explore the benefits of a true zero-emissions heavy-duty truck platform and to support the development of a heavy-duty hydrogen fueling network in California. These trucks add to our growing portfolio of fuel-cell-electric vehicles as we lead the industry in expanding electrification through the use of this advanced, versatile, and scalable zero-emissions technology.”

Toyota electric trucks use hydrogen fuel cells and can travel about 300 total miles before stopping momentarily for a quick refuel.