The Port of Vancouver has commenced battery electric container truck operations as part of the Electric Container Trucking Program, known as ELECTRA, a pilot initiative supporting the transition away from fossil fuel-powered freight equipment at the port.
The programme is currently operational with four trucks on the road and two more expected to enter service later in the year, operated by five participating trucking companies.
ELECTRA provides container trucking companies with subsidised five-year leases and supporting electric charging infrastructure. For the first 12 months of each truck’s operation, the programme will collect operational data to be shared with industry and government partners, informing future adoption decisions for battery electric container trucks more broadly.
The programme represents an estimated CA$ 3 million in combined support from Transport Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, with additional funding accessed through BC Hydro’s EV Fleet Programme.
It is being delivered in partnership with 7Gen, a turnkey fleet electrification provider managing vehicle deployment, infrastructure, software and carbon credit solutions. Programme partners also include Transport Canada, BC Hydro and the province.
Participating companies receive at least one battery electric truck, charging infrastructure where required, maintenance support, technical and engineering assistance, driver training, operational support and access to a software platform consolidating vehicle, charger and utility data in a single dashboard.
The programme forms part of the Low Emission Technology Initiative, a joint funding partnership between the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Province of British Columbia, aimed at accelerating the adoption of lower-emission technologies across port operations.
