Pilot and Flying J Stations to Get Fast Chargers for EV Trucks

Electrification of transport is reaching a new stage at which also long-range electric trucks will join the party at scale. This will require a proper public fast-charging infrastructure along major routes.

Soon, we might see high-power DC fast chargers for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles, installed at major travel centers across the US.

A sign of that is the recently announced strategic partnership between Volvo Group and Pilot Company, which operates more than 750 Pilot and Flying J locations across North America (covering 44 US states and six Canadian provinces).

According to a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed by the two partners in November, they will combine their expertise to identify locations to be prioritized for high-performance charging, based on customer and driver needs, current and anticipated battery-electric truck density, and the availability of public funding to support infrastructure costs.

It’s not yet known how many chargers and what type of chargers will be installed – currently, EV trucks are often using the CCS Combo 1 connector, but in the future, they are expected to move to be equipped withย the upcoming Megawatt Charging System (MCS).

Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Company said:

โ€œVolvo Groupโ€™s proven expertise in electric trucks combined with our nationwide travel center network and robust energy platform leverages our respective knowledge and resources to advance the nationโ€™s charging infrastructure. We look forward to working together to develop a holistic solution for electrified fleets, further enabling the transportation industryโ€™s energy transition.โ€

Volvo Group offers electric trucks in North America through two brands: Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks.ย The Volvo VNR Electric model is already available in the second model iterationย with an enhanced battery capacity of 565 kilowatt-hour (kWh) and a range of up to 275 miles (442 km).

Meanwhile, Mack produces Class 8 Mack LR Electric refuse trucks with a 376 kWh battery.

Both manufacturers are expected to expand their EV lineup, but they must ensure that fleets that are looking to adopt battery-electric trucks, will have peace of mind in terms of charging infrastructure.

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