Port of L.A. debuts battery-electric top handlers for cargo loading

Officials at the Port of Los Angeles celebrated California Clean Air Day this week by introducing zero-emissions cargo handling trucks that will be tested at the port over the next 12 months.

Port officials joined Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and representatives from heavy equipment maker Taylor Machine Works Inc. on Wednesday to demonstrate the zero-emissions, battery-electric top handlers, which are on-dock cargo-handling trucks designed for loading containers weighing up to 75,000 pounds onto trucks and trains, unloading them, and stacking them on terminals between pickups and deliveries. Built by Taylor Machine, the top handlers run on a one-megawatt battery designed to operate for up to 18 hours between charges. Each top handler has a data logger for tracking hours of operation, charging frequency, energy usage, and other performance indicators, port officials said.

The zero-emissions top handlers are the first of its kind and will help the port reach its clean cargo-handling goals, officials said.

"Today shows we are making good on our pledge to do the hard work of advancing commercially feasible solutions to meet our goal of transitioning all cargo-handling equipment to zero emissions by 2030," Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said. "We're excited to power up these battery-electric top handlers and test them under the real-world conditions of a working container terminal."

The top handlers will be tested at the port's Everport Container Terminal for 12 months, starting later this year. Port officials also said they will work with their partners to evaluate the functionality of the connections and systems for charging the top handlers during that time.

The battery-electric top handlers are a key component of the port's $7.7 million Everport Advanced Cargo Handling Demonstration Project. The California Energy Commission (CEC) is supporting the large-scale zero-emissions technology project with a $4.5 million sustainability grant, officials said.

"The CEC is proud to be working with forward-thinking partners like the Port of Los Angeles to accelerate the adoption of innovative and sustainable freight technologies," Energy Commissioner Patty Monahan said. "Projects like this are critical to showcasing zero-emission equipment that can make the state's freight industry more efficient and competitive, while helping clean California's air."