Electrify America selected Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles as its second “Green City” investment. The company previously announced this recommendation as part of its broader plan to invest $200 million in California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and education programs in the state over the next 30 months.

The Green City investment focuses on projects with strong potential to have lasting positive impacts on the local community. The Green City plan received approval from the California Air Resources Board on 24 June.

In 2021, with a shipping mega-boom underway, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—the busiest port complex in the nation—set a new all-time high in May of inbound containers, showcasing the importance of transportation activity in the region. Additionally, more than 18,000 trucks are registered to operate in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, showcasing a significant opportunity for tailpipe emissions reductions through electrified transportation solutions and infrastructure.

Building on Electrify America’s first successful Green City program in Sacramento, the company will work with Long Beach and Los Angeles city officials as well as private fleet operators, owners and collaborators to implement projects focused on charging electrification for public transit and heavy-duty electric vehicles, showcasing ultra-fast charging technology, and energy management for these two emerging use cases.

Efforts will focus on tackling medium and heavy-duty emissions in a predominantly disadvantaged and low-income community, which is classified as an extreme non-attainment area under the Clean Air Act (sixty-four percent of Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles is classified as low-income and disadvantaged by the California Air Resources Board.)

The Green City investment is part of Electrify America’s commitment to invest $800 million in California over ten years. Electrify America’s plan to invest $200 million between January 2022 and June 2024—the Cycle 3 California ZEV Investment Plan—included the Green City selection process, in which Electrify America evaluated more than 14 California communities and more than 160 submissions offering input on potential ZEV initiatives.

Investment in the region will begin immediately as Electrify America moves to implement its Green City plans in the region over the next three years.