Schneider Hosts Ribbon Cutting for Battery Electric Fleet

Schneider showcases massive battery-electric truck operation with nearly 100 Class 8 battery electric trucks in Southern California. 

The use of zero-emission trucks enables the company to make meaningful progress toward its goal of reducing per-mile emissions 

Schneider – a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal, and logistics services, and JETSI project partner – hosted a ribbon cutting event on June 7th to celebrate the scaled deployment of battery electric trucks and charging infrastructure. Schneider will have nearly 100 Freightliner eCascadias operating from its South El Monte facility in Southern California by year’s end, including 50 that were funded through the JETSI project. The site features 16 350 kW dual-corded dispensers to allow Schneider to charge 32 trucks simultaneously. 

Schneider’s South El Monte facility is centrally located within the metro Los Angeles area and adjacent to major highways with a high density of customers within a 50-mile radius.  Already this year, the carrier has begun hauling deliveries for Frito-Lay North America and Goodyear using the new eCascadia fleet, supporting each companies’ supply chain sustainability goals. 

When fully operational, Schneider’s 92 BETs will have the potential to avoid more than 81,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per day. Over a year, that is equivalent to removing 2,400 gas-powered cars from the road. Each day these zero-emission trucks will accelerate the company’s progress toward its goal of reducing CO2 emission by 7.5% per mile by 2025 and a 60% per mile reduction by 2035.    

The ribbon cutting event featured remarks from: 

  • Mark Rourke, President and CEO, Schneider  
  • Rakesh Aneja, Vice President of eMobility, Daimler Truck North America  
  • Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board 
  • Patty Monahan, Commissioner, California Energy Commission  
  • Michael Cacciotti, Vice Chair, South Coast Air Quality Management District 

The event also featured breakout sessions with representatives from Daimler Truck North America, Southern California Edison, and Black & Veatch to discuss the vehicle and infrastructure technology on-site. Select attendees were chosen to participate in a ride and drive in an eCascadia with a Schneider driver.  

“Schneider decided to lead the way by building our own depot in South El Monte,” said Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke. “It was important to develop onsite charging because it is the most efficient solution to power our growing electric fleet. With the infrastructure deficiency, we found that we needed to collaborate with a wide array of experts to see our vision come to fruition.” 

To learn more on Schneider’s deployment of battery electric trucks as a part of the JETSI project, click here.

View Photo Gallery

Funding Partners

JETSI is jointly financed by California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission ($26.98 million), MSRC ($8 million), and South Coast AQMD ($5.4 million), with an additional $21.7 million from Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, Southern California Edison, NFI, and Schneider. JETSI is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.