Stäubli, SSA Marine and Tritium team to create largest automated electric vehicle charging port program in the United States

SSA Marine, which manages the terminal at the Port of Long Beach, is transforming 33 diesel-powered tractors by retrofitting them with all-electric drivetrain systems. Tritium, an Australian company that designs and manufactures fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles, will install its Veefil-PK 175kW DC High Power Chargers (HPCs) to power SSA Marine’s fleet of terminal tractors.

The HPCs will utilize Stäubli’s Quick Charging Connector (QCC), a rapid charging system that offers a safe, efficient option for the automatic charging of electric vehicles, to allow all 33 terminal tractors to be automatically and simultaneously charged. Stäubli’s QCC system features an enclosed pin-and-socket design that is self-cleaning, touch-protected on both sides of the connector and easily corrects for misalignment. It will enable the automatic connection of Tritium’s chargers to the electric receptacle that has been retrofitted on each port vehicle, creating a zero-touch charging experience for terminal tractor operators.

“We are demonstrating the possibilities for the future of sustainable transportation and shipping by outfitting the Port of Long Beach with Stäubli’s QCC system,” said Christian España, Sales and Marketing Manager, Stäubli Electrical Connectors. “We are proud to partner with Tritium on a charger that will make the job of port operators safer, easier and more efficient, while also creating a healthier work environment.”

The rollout of both the vehicles and chargers at the Port of Long Beach will bring a near zero-emissions environment to the port, enabling a cleaner air environment by eliminating diesel fuel and reducing noise pollution.

Installation of the chargers is scheduled to begin in 2019, and deliveries of the converted vehicles are scheduled to begin later this year through October 2020.

The project with SSA Marine is part of the $50 million Port of Long Beach grant obtained from the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Zero and Near Zero Emission Freight Facility (ZANZEFF) program. ZANZEFF funds transformative emissions reduction strategies at freight facilities throughout the state.

The project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative 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.

For more information, visit www.staubli.com/electrical.

About Stäubli Electrical Connectors in North America

Stäubli Electrical Connectors – North America’s headquarters is located in Windsor, California. Its product range includes interconnection systems for the most demanding applications in aerospace, medical, robotics, solar energy, general industry and test & measurement including plugs and sockets designed for high performance, high mating cycles, low insertion and extraction forces, and that are ideally suited for low- and high-current applications. Stäubli serves customers worldwide who aim to increase their industrial productivity without compromising quality, reliability or safety.

About Tritium

Tritium is a technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of DC fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles (EV). Established in 2001 to provide power-electronic systems and battery energy-storage applications, it has, since the launch of its first DC fast charger in 2014, become one of Australia’s fastest-growing companies. In just four years Tritium has developed into a leading global DC fast charging supplier, with installations in 26 countries, and it currently holds around 50% of the Norwegian market and around 15% of the wider European market for 50kW fast chargers. Customers include Charge.net.nz, EDF Lumins, Fortum, Grønn Kontakt, IONITY and Stromnetz. Tritium’s HQ and main manufacturing plant is in Brisbane, Australia, with additional sales and manufacturing facilities in its two key markets of Europe and the US.

For more, visit WWW.TRITIUM.COM.AU.