Port of Long Beach Makes Moves to Meet Newson’s Ambitious ZEV Mandate

Jon LeSage

For those concerned that Gov. Gavin Newsom has bitten off way more than he can chew with his “zero emission vehicles by 2035” mandate, there may be hope that at least some of the solution will come from the Port of Long Beach.

Working sometimes solo, and sometimes in tandem with the Port of Los Angeles, the port is becoming a vital center for testing and rolling out plug-in electric and hydrogen fuel cell medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that meet carbon emissions and air pollution reduction government targets. It’s also meant installing electric vehicle charging stations and hydrogen fueling pumps to keep these alternative fuel vehicles rolling.

The ports have been utilized by South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for a few years now in rolling out these new vehicle technologies and fueling systems. Sometimes that’s been in tandem with the cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles, California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the California Energy Commission – and with clean truck programs the ports both started operating about 15 years ago.

Now the numbers will be getting bigger. Earlier in September, Mayor Robert Garcia announced a new program bringing over 61 Volvo and Kenworth electric heavy-duty rigs to the port in a program backed by Volkswagen’s Electrify America, SCAQMD, CARB and the CALSTART nonprofit research and development organization.

Now is the time to do it. Garcia also acknowledged in September to Bloomberg that the ports have been undergoing a period of “unmitigated growth,” and are in the process of cutting emissions from the thousands of mostly diesel-powered trucks that operate in and around the ports.

On Aug. 25, Newsom had announced his decision in tandem with CARB approving the rule where all new vehicle sales in the state must be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. That will come through an incremental schedule where 35% are ZEVs by 2026, 68% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. Consumers can still buy and sell used gasoline-powered vehicles after 2035, but new vehicles must be plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery-electric vehicles, or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. There will be a restriction on the amount of PHEVs that can be sold since they still can use their gas-powered engines for part of the trip. Battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell won’t have that cap.

The state hopes its generous selection of purchase incentives for ZEVs will help consumers, fleets and transportation companies switch over to these fairly new technologies. Many arguments have been made that Newsom is being very unrealistic about his lofty goals. If the car and truck makers are forced into making these ZEVs, will there be enough customers out there to buy them and make it profitable?

That will also apply to switching the state over to renewable electric power and away from heating buildings with natural gas that the governor is pushing for. These are expensive ventures and may require raising road taxes and other taxes and user fees.

LB Trying Out More Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are also getting their share of attention at the port. While electric vehicle evangelists such as Elon Musk have been putting down FCVs for years, the port and air quality regulators see it as another option for hitting zero emission targets. These trucks may be a more profitable and realistic channel than hydrogen-powered light-duty passenger FCVs have been for manufacturers like Toyota and Hyundai.

One pilot project that the Port of Long Beach has been trying out is using Freightliner Cascadia fuel cell trucks to get the job done. That’s come through a partnership between Freightliner’s parent company Daimler Truck North America and legacy diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. They’ll convert Class 8 heavy-duty Freightliners over to run on hydrogen fuel cells.

The Port of Long Beach has opened up to bringing in more fuel cell vehicles to hit the state targets. That can be through any type of truck that serves the ports, such as Class 8 long haulers to drayage trucks that carry containers and bulk freight between the port and intermodal rail facilities, distribution centers and other business locations near to the ports.

“While zero-emissions light-duty vehicles will mostly be battery-electric technology by 2035, we expect our drayage truck operators will use a mix of fuel types, including both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell,” the Port of Long Beach said recently in a statement.

The Port had also announced that it’s in the process of producing more of the fuel through taking organic materials and recycling them into hydrogen power. Hydrogen has been gaining popularity with the state of California, the federal government and major companies like Amazon as an energy source for all kinds of functions including generating electricity and powering industrial applications.

ACT Expo Has Been a Clearing House for Clean Trucks

The announcement on the Freightliner joint venture took place in May, and was made by Cummins CEO Tom Linebarger at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo). Cummins over the years has adapted its truck engines to service fleets and trucking companies that have to meet rigorous emissions targets from the federal government, California and a few other states.

For Cummins, that’s meant offering truck engines powered by natural gas, propane autogas, hydrogen, battery packs and biogas. Truck and engine makers like Cummins have had to adapt to the times.

ACT Expo, which will be at the Anaheim Convention Center from May 1-4, 2023, has been held at the Long Beach Convention Center over its 11-year history. The event organizers were proud to announce that more than 8,000 industry stakeholders attended in May to see the latest fuels, technologies and vehicles driving the future of transportation. The halls were also filled by staff from these exhibitor companies, media and government agencies and industry groups serving the market. There had been concerns that COVID-19 would once again drag down attendance, which appears to be over for now.

Part of the appeal has also been the additional field trips and meetings that the event organizers have put on over the years tied closely to ACT Expo. Attendees could have interesting experiences such as driving a fuel-cell car over to a nearby Shell hydrogen station and fueling it up at the pump. That’s meant learning that you can fill up a hydrogen tank within five minutes – just like going to a gas station. That’s one competitive edge hydrogen has had over electric vehicles.

Federal and State Programs Behind Much of the Appeal

One main reason the transportation companies and fleet managers have been attending ACT Expo over the years and going to “ride and drives,” has been learning more and gaining access to generous government incentive programs. These funding sources can bring down the acquisition and operating costs of these pricey transportation alternatives substantially.

One of these goals has been getting school buses running on alternative fuels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Sept. 29 announced it would nearly double the funding awarded for clean school buses this year following increased demand. That means school districts from all 50 states can apply for the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. It’s part of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created with a historic $5 billion investment for low- and zero-emission school buses over the next five years.

One of the convincing arguments for funding this program has been that the diesel air pollution coming from traditional school buses has been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. It would also be of appeal to larger communities concerned about cleaning up the air and reducing climate change.

One of the reasons the ports have been getting a lot of funding for clean vehicles and the necessary alternative fueling infrastructure has been that the state of California has passed laws in recent years targeted at making what’s been identified as “disadvantaged communities” have cleaner air to breathe. The ports are heavily tied to these disadvantaged communities, guaranteeing they’ll continue receiving ample funding for bringing in ZEVs and other clean transportation solutions.

Jon LeSage is a resident of Long Beach and a veteran business media reporter and editor. You can reach him at jtlesage1@yahoo.com.

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