WattEV adds 2 Tesla Semis to ZEV fleet at Port of Long Beach

WattEV adds 2 Tesla Semis to ZEV fleet at Port of Long Beach

Startup electric truck infrastructure developer WattEV recently announced an agreement with Tesla for the delivery of 40 Semis in 2026. As part of the deal, WattEV is beginning with two of the heavy-duty electric trucks this year, representing the first use of Tesla Semis at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. This marks a continuation of WattEV’s development efforts as it expands its charging infrastructure in California.

One reason WattEV picked Tesla was range, with many routes being high-mileage, logging up to 550 miles a day in California. “Tesla Semi is the only truck in the market that can deliver 500 miles on a single charge, with superb energy efficiency and fast charging,” said Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO of WattEV.

With EV trucks with larger batteries comes the need for faster charging. “We’ve been future-proofing all our charging depots to allow for the transition from CCS charging to megawatt charging with MCS,” said Youssefzadeh. “Our collaboration with Tesla is another major milestone as we expand our network to electrify freight on more routes throughout California and beyond.”

Truck Tech catches up with Torc Robotics at Manifest

In a recent interview at Manifest atop one of Torc Robotics’ autonomous trucks, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Culhane and former UPS Director Lawrence Bader talked about how autonomous trucks and AI are transforming the freight sector.

Torc has made significant progress over the past year, pivoting to a product design phase with production-intent vehicles now on the road. “We actually have real, true [production] trucks out there, not prototypes,” Culhane explained. This progress has spurred two major initiatives: the launch of a Dallas-Fort Worth hub to demonstrate and test autonomous trucking operations, and a new engineering center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, tapping into automotive talent.

Culhane highlighted the use of generative AI in simulation and validation: “We want to basically train our truck with the knowledge of every million-mile truck driver out there on the road.” For Torc, collaboration is key. Torc is conducting pilots with major carriers like Schneider and C.R. England, aiming for a 2027 launch of its first autonomous truck without a driver. The focus is on building trust and integrating seamlessly with existing fleet operations.

“So we’re not a trucking company. There are world-class leaders in that. We don’t want to be one of those; we want to empower them to do their job better and give them that tool with an autonomous truck. But we have a job to help prove out: ‘What does that look like from maintenance, from inspections, launch, recovery, all those other aspects?’” added Culhane.

While the technology is advancing rapidly, both Culhane and Bader stress the importance of ongoing dialogue with carriers, shippers and regulators. Bader notes, “It’s extremely important for the fleets of the shippers to really engage now, to help mold and to find that [optimal integration].”

From a road to perdition to an autonomous path of redemption

Anthony Levandowski, once embroiled in a legal battle over autonomous vehicle technology, is now poised again to become a player in the self-driving truck space. His company, Pronto, recently announced an agreement with Heidelberg Materials to deploy its Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) on over 100 trucks worldwide over the next three years.

This deal, which follows successful pilots in North America, is a remarkable turnaround for Levandowski, who just a few years prior faced federal charges over trade secrets from his time at Google’s self-driving car startup, Waymo.

Pronto’s approach differs significantly from Levandowski’s previous ventures. The company’s AHS relies on advanced AI and hardened camera systems rather than expensive lidar and radar technologies that are common in many AV projects. This strategy allows faster deployment and lower costs, making the system attractive to companies like Heidelberg Materials.

The agreement with Heidelberg follows successful deployments at quarries in Texas, including what Pronto claims is the first autonomous mixed fleet to enter production in North America.

As Pronto implements its technology across Heidelberg Materials’ global operations, the company is positioned to become a larger player in the autonomous haulage market. Currently, construction equipment giants Komatsu and Caterpillar lead the field. Komatsu reported a fleet of over 750 autonomous vocational trucks in 2024. Read the full article here.

Briefly noted …

DHL Group and Scania, a heavy vehicle maker have jointly developed an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator, creating the ability to shift to battery-electric without waiting for a complete charging network. The release notes an extended-range EV could be an interim solution while fully electric trucks are being scaled and charging infrastructure built.

Prologis Mobility recently announced its charging infrastructure has powered 10 million miles of travel for heavy-duty electric trucks. The release notes that equates to circling the earth 400 times. Prologis is the nation’s largest industrial real estate provider and has been delivering EV charging since 2022. “Our latest project, Denker in Torrance, is North America’s largest heavy-duty EV charging hub powered by a microgrid, supporting up to 96 trucks at once and the critical Los Angeles/Long Beach ports,” the release states.

Range Energy, a startup focused on converting diesel trucks to hybrid electric, recently announced the appointment of Jon Foster as CEO. Foster previously served as CFO at Zoox and will lead Range’s next phase of commercialization and expansion. The release adds, “Foster played a key role in scaling Zoox’s autonomous and electric vehicle platform, leading its financial and strategic efforts through its acquisition by Amazon.”

Most recent episode

Subscribe to the Truck Tech newsletter here.

The post WattEV adds 2 Tesla Semis to ZEV fleet at Port of Long Beach appeared first on FreightWaves.