N.Y.-N.J. Port Authority, Calstart launch $45M EV truck effort

Port officials said the programs are designed to ensure charging capacity expands in tandem with electric vehicle adoption. (Seth Wenig/Associated Press)

A $45 million incentive effort at the Port of New York and New Jersey will direct millions of dollars toward expanding electric truck charging infrastructure, a key hurdle in the transition to zero-emission freight operations.

California-based nonprofit Calstart and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Sept. 3 that they will launch two programs this fall aimed at supporting electric truck purchases and the charging systems needed to keep them operating at the East Coast’s busiest seaport.

The initiative’s Clean Truck Incentive Program will make up to $39 million available through point-of-sale vouchers for the purchase of zero-emission drayage trucks, terminal tractors and related charging equipment. By tying vehicle incentives to charging investments, officials aim to address one of the main barriers to fleet electrification, according to a news release.

The infrastructure component is centered on the Green Drayage Accelerator, a $5 million program that will fund as many as five electric truck charging hubs within 10 miles of the port’s marine terminal facilities. The charging sites are intended to serve drayage operators that move freight between terminals, warehouses and distribution centers throughout the region.

“Deploying zero-emission trucks at scale requires pairing accessible vehicle incentives with reliable, high-capacity charging,” said Alycia Gilde, Calstart’s executive vice president of California and regional market acceleration.

Port officials said the programs are designed to ensure charging capacity expands in tandem with electric vehicle adoption rather than lagging behind it.

“We’re making zero-emission trucks and terminal tractors more affordable for the operators who keep this port running, backed by the charging infrastructure they’ll need to power them,” Port Director Bethann Rooney said.

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said the investment is intended to extend beyond port property and support freight movement throughout the surrounding logistics network.

“This $45 million partnership with Calstart puts zero-emission trucks, terminal tractors, and charging infrastructure within reach for the operators who serve this port every day,” O’Toole said.

The charging initiative is part of a broader $451 million grant the Port Authority received through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program. That funding also will support the installation of electric cargo-handling equipment at marine terminals and shore power infrastructure that allows container ships to plug into the electrical grid while docked rather than run auxiliary engines.

Calstart will administer both incentive programs and develop tracking dashboards to monitor deployment progress, vehicle performance and charger utilization. The dashboards will be transferred to the Port Authority in 2028, according to the announcement.

The effort builds on charging investments already underway at the port. Last year, the Port Authority opened an electric truck charging station at Port Newark that includes four fast chargers at the truck welcome center.

The new charging hubs are part of the Port Authority’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 while helping tenants, contractors and other port users meet the same target. Officials said outreach to trucking companies and other stakeholders will begin in the coming weeks ahead of the programs’ launch this fall.

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