Daimler Truck, BlackRock and NextEra’s $650M project

A $650 million joint venture between Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), BlackRock Renewable Power, and NextEra Energy Resources will create charging infrastructure for electric and hydrogen fuel cell medium- and heavy-duty trucks, removing a barrier to widespread adoption.

The new charging stations and hydrogen filling stations are aimed at commercial trucking, which has been overlooked in the move to renewable energy, with public charging stations focusing on cars and light trucks, which take less energy and time to recharge.

The initial phase of building on a network of charging stations along major freight routes throughout the East and West coasts, as well as in Texas by 2026, is planned to begin in 2023. The strategy is to make use of existing infrastructure and amenities while also developing new areas.

It’s unclear whether this covers travel plazas and truck stops, which the truck stop trade group NATSO and the fuel marketer trade group SIGMA are pushing to be the principal sites for EV charging under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The organizations are seeking funding to construct charging stations at existing locations.