Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing is shifting the electric truck charging space – and making inroads into new territory

Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing is shifting the electric truck charging space – and making inroads into new territory
By Elana Knopp
Manager, Content and Communications, Trio

 Part II

 With Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing (VTRL) recently announcing the energization of 47 high-powered charging stations at four VTRL facilities across Southern California, the company is setting the bar when it comes to leading the transition to sustainable freight solutions by providing efficient and reliable charging options for commercial medium and heavy-duty electric trucks. 

The newly-installed infrastructure, located at the company’s facilities in Rancho Dominguez, Fontana, the City of Industry, and San Diego, will enable a broad range of trucks to achieve an 80% charge in just 90 minutes or less. With a goal of shaping the electromobility space – not just reacting to it – VTRL is focused on helping their commercial and industrial clients transition smoothly to an electrified future, ensuring that they are prepared to comply with the many forthcoming rules and regulations. And while compliance is top of mind for many, there are plenty of companies who are simply motivated by the desire to create a healthier planet and a more sustainable future, notes David Deon, president of VTRL.

“We have companies out there that are doing it because they feel it's the right thing to do,” he said. “Many of the larger organizations are already starting to do it, which is wonderful. For Velocity, our goal is to be environmentally responsible. We want to do everything we can to offset emissions from trucks and to be good citizens, which is part of the reason why I wanted to be ahead of this curve. The other piece of it is that we want to be the consultants who can answer any questions that our customers have to help them along this path.”

Charging options
 
VTRL offers flexible charging options to accommodate diverse customer needs. This includes self-managed and opportunity charging during daily routes. 

Customers can also take advantage of VTRL’s ‘charging as a service' model, which simplifies the process of EV charging for fleet operators by eliminating the complexities of setting up, maintaining, and operating charging infrastructure. Customers that sign up for charging as a service can establish a monthly subscription or pay-per-use agreement and can leave their trucks at one of VTRL’s charging locations to be charged and ready ahead of their next shift.  

 The company’s charge management system carefully monitors the charging status of each truck, enabling staff to quickly and seamlessly rotate trucks as chargers become available.

 “I think that has to be the future because the idea of a driver sitting there for a couple of hours is what everybody thinks of, and it doesn't have to be that way,” Deon said. “It just has to be a partner that's willing to do what we're willing to do. I'm a big believer in this initiative and getting the right type of trucks on the road, and you have to find your right audience for that.” 

What’s next 

That next audience may be in British Columbia, Canada, where hydropower is abundant and where Velocity is currently establishing itself, primarily on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. 

“They're very excited about zero emissions – they want to keep their territory beautiful,” Deon said. “Some think of that area as the California of Canada, and we want to help that initiative along. I want to be the guy that's known as the EV provider in that province because I really think there's going to be a lot of takers up there between the cost, the mindsets, and the government money available. That's really important to me personally, and to our company, as we look at what's next.”

 Other potential areas for the company’s expansion include Alabama, Texas, and Georgia. 

“The fear that everybody has is about cost, so the most important thing is to find a trusted advisor and get real answers,” Deon said. “When it comes to EV trucks and their capabilities, that’s what VTRL and Velocity Vehicle Group are experts at - on the sales side and with our own distributors. When it came time for the charging infrastructure, I didn't try to take my knowledge in one area and apply it to another. That’s why we found the experts at Trio. They educated us and walked us through the process.” Deon also has some sage advice to those seeking to play a role in the transition to an electrified future.

 “Don't listen to the naysayers, and don't listen to gossip and negativity,” he said. “Find a true expert and get real answers because you could end up spending either a lot more money in fines or in technology, or losing out on grant opportunities. At Velocity, we are trying to be at the cutting edge of all these different phases of this transition, because that's really what it is. It is a transition to a cleaner environment when it comes to transportation of goods. We want to be known as the provider of this solution in the years to come.”