In the News
East Bay Community Energy and Forum Mobility Announce Innovative Financing for First of Its Kind Electric Truck Charging Depot in Livermore
OAKLAND, Calif., June 13, 2023 – East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), the local energy provider for Alameda County and the City of Tracy, today announced a new financing program to support the transition to zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. The EBCE Board has approved providing $4.5 million in financing to Forum Mobility, a zero-emission truck solutions provider, to support the development of an innovative electric truck charging depot in Livermore, California. This site is part of a new network of electric charging depots that Forum Mobility is building for drayage trucking carriers moving freight in and out of the Port of Oakland.
“East Bay Community Energy provides clean electricity from Oakland to Tracy – and now Forum Mobility will provide clean trucking on the same route. We’re excited to help Forum Mobility charge electric trucks with 100% renewable energy, and further reduce harmful emissions in our community,” said Nick Chaset, CEO of East Bay Community Energy.
“The City of Livermore, as a longtime leader in climate action, is proud to help lead the transition to zero-emission goods movement. As the host of key, cutting-edge clean charging infrastructure, cleaning up the I-580 freight corridor starts with us,” said Livermore Councilmember Ben Barrientos, who also serves on EBCE’s Board of Directors.
The EBCE loan will support the development of Forum’s Greenville Community Charging Depot on a 4.4-acre site just off I-580 in Livermore. The depot will be capable of charging up to 96 trucks simultaneously. According to the US EPA, heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for 23% of the carbon emissions from the transportation sector, as well as 45% of NOx and 57% of PM 2.5 pollution in the US – with disproportionate impacts on communities of color. A transition to zero-emission vehicles will mean cleaner air for our communities, a safer climate and, if done well, lower costs per mile for truckers.
“Forum is building a network of charging depots for heavy-duty trucks to make the transition to electric. This partnership with EBCE will help Forum deliver fast-charging to trucking owners, operators, carriers and fleets,” said Matt LeDucq, CEO and co-founder of Forum Mobility. “With new rules from the California Air Resources Board requiring zero-emission trucks, Forum and EBCE are working to provide broad access to charging infrastructure and zero-emission trucks.”
The California Air Resources Board recently approved rules requiring all of California’s in-state drayage fleet – approximately 33,000 trucks – to be zero-emission by 2035. Charging infrastructure is a key ingredient for success – the California Energy Commission estimates that to comply with these and other proposed vehicle regulations, California will need 157,000 medium- and heavy-duty chargers by 2030.
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About EBCE
East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is a not-for-profit public agency that operates a Community Choice Energy program in the California Bay Area for Alameda County and fourteen incorporated cities, serving more than 1.7 million residential and commercial customers. EBCE initiated service in June 2018 and expanded to Tracy in neighboring San Joaquin County in 2021 and will expand service to Stockton in 2025. As one of 24 community choice aggregation (CCA) programs operating in California, EBCE is part of the movement to expedite the climate action goals of their communities and those of California. EBCE is committed to providing clean power at competitive rates while reinvesting in its local communities and offering innovative energy programs. For more information about East Bay Community Energy, visit ebce.org.
About Forum Mobility
Forum Mobility provides accessible zero-emission trucking solutions for drayage in California, from building and operating the charging infrastructure to offering class 8 zero-emission electric trucks. Forum is currently developing a network of charging depots around the ports of Oakland, Los Angeles and Long Beach, and along common trucking routes to warehouse destinations, offering a one-stop solution that makes it easy for small independent operators and large fleets alike. For more information, visit forummobility.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Dan Lieberman
925-579-1591