With short runs at low speeds under heavy loads in a controlled space, heavy-duty terminal tractors represent an almost ideal use case for electrification. APM Terminals Pier 400 seems to have done the math and come to the same conclusion, and are now set to add twenty new Orange EVs to their fleet at the Port of Los Angeles.
With the addition of the new Orange EV e-Trievers, APM Terminals (APMT) Pier 400 has the largest deployed fleet of electric terminal tractors (or “yard dogs,” or “ro-ro trucks,” etc.) in the Port of Los Angeles, marking a notable step in the port’s decarbonization efforts.
But it doesn’t stop there for APMT. The company is using the Pier 400 electrification project to help advance the skills of its International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) workforce. the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and OEMs like Orange EV, APMT is working to establish an electric tractor training program at the ILWU-PMA Maintenance & Repair Training Center. The new training program will increase access to EVs, enabling more hands-on instruction for union mechanics and, it’s hoped, reducing some of the “push back” against EVs.
“This is not just an investment in equipment, it’s an investment in the up-skilling of the workforce,” said Jon Poelma, Managing Director of APM Terminals Pier 400. “Our partnership with PCMC is foundational to our success, and this rollout reflects how we move forward together. As we decarbonize Pier 400, we’re not only deploying new technology—we’re up-skilling our workforce through hands-on training and taking significant steps in our commitment to cleaner air for our community.”
Pier 400 sponsored three days of paid training for 21 ILWU Local 13 union mechanics employed by PCMC last month. Led by Orange EV technicians, the program covered safety protocols, diagnostics and routine maintenance for the new electric tractors.
All 20 of the new Orange EV yard trucks are expected to be in operation by the end of July.
Electrek’s Take
Over at The Heavy Equipment Podcast, we had a chance to talk to Orange EV founder Kurt Neutgens ahead of last year’s ACT Expo for clean trucking. On the show (available here), Kurt explained how his experience at Ford helped inform his design ideology, and that the Orange EV was designed to be cost competitive with diesel options, even without subsidies.
Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of the big yard dogs in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Orange EV.
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