Driving the future: Ava plans for fleet of zero-emission trucks

Framework also includes establishing a 4.4-acre charging station in Livermore

Source: by Nicole Gonzales in Pleasanton Weekly

One Alameda County-based energy provider is looking toward the future as it makes strides in clean, renewable transportation.

Ava Community Energy, formerly East Bay Community Energy, has completed a blueprint to address carbon emissions of medium and heavy duty vehicles. The agency’s framework includes establishing a fleet of zero-emission trucks and corresponding infrastructure such as a charging depot in Livermore.

Forum Mobility, a zero-emission truck provider, was awarded $4.5 million in financing to aid in the Livermore charging depot development.

“Ava Community Energy provides clean electricity from Oakland to Tracy – and now Forum Mobility will provide clean trucking on the same route,” said Ava CEO, Nick Chaset in a statement announcing the blueprint.

“We’re excited to help Forum Mobility charge electric trucks with 100% renewable energy, and further reduce harmful emissions in our community,” added Chaset.

Ava provides power to portions of Alameda County and Tracy, with its latest expansion planned for 2025 heading east to the Central Valley (Stockton and Lathrop).

Funded by the California Energy Commission and in partnership with CALSTART, Ava said the project was the culmination of studies, feedback and research done over two years.

CALSTART, a nonprofit founded in 1992, works with energy companies to help build and develop plans for clean-transportation.

“Alameda County is a global focal point for electric transportation, from Tesla’s Fremont factory to GILLIG, the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in the United States, to Newark-based Lucid Motors. It’s only fitting that Ava, the area’s leading clean energy supplier, is continuing to go big on EVs,” said Chaset. “The first step in any journey is a roadmap; that’s where Ava began and that’s how we’re scaling for the future.”

Ava representatives said the depot will be situated on a 4.4-acre site off of Interstate 580 in Livermore with the capacity to store and charge 95 trucks.

Transitioning to zero-emission trucks will contribute to cleaner air and a safer climate for local and global communities, representatives added.

“The City of Livermore, as a longtime leader in climate action, is proud to help lead the transition to zero-emission goods movement,” said Livermore City Councilmember Ben Barrientos in the statement. “As the host of key, cutting-edge clean charging infrastructure, cleaning up the I-580 freight corridor starts with us.”

Barrientos also serves on the Ava Board of Directors subcommittee which meets every other month.

Ava is one of two community utility companies in the state to have established a CEC blueprint with strategies to roll out California’s clean energy transition.

To find out more about Ava, visit their website at https://avaenergy.org/.