AXIS IOS, a real estate investment platform positioned to acquire, develop, and manage Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) throughout the United States, has opened its first EV charging facility in Vernon, California. The site (4441 East 52nd St Vernon, CA) is located half a mile from 4 Interstate freeways (5, 10, 110 and the 710), a major freight corridor coming out of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and home to numerous distribution centers performing last-mile delivery.

Aerial view of the charging site in March 2024.

The site is designed for local fleet clients that are operating medium-duty and light-duty vehicles in the Los Angeles area and features enough space for 42 vehicles, which will include 34 Level 2 chargers and 8 Level 3 DC fast chargers.

Fleet customers will benefit from the area’s low and competitive utility rates, which on average are approximately 8-10% lower than neighboring utility rates.

Recent market analyses show a surge in demand for medium-duty electric vehicles from fleets, with a 640% jump in orders in 2022 and several major regulations coming down the way including the Advanced Clean Fleets Rule in California and the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule in 14 states and the District and Columbia.

AXIS IOS is actively looking to address the lack of adequate charging infrastructure for fleets facing these regulations and opening the Vernon location is the latest example of how the EV transition begins with real estate.

AXIS IOS says that the site is part of the trend towards private, “behind-the-fence” EV charging depots designed with fleets in mind—including those local businesses doing last-mile delivery. AXIS IOS worked closely during the development of the site with Vernon Public Utilities, the city’s locally owned utility from design drawing submittals to power delivery to the site. AXIS IOS’s EV charging facility was operational within several months.

AXIS IOS is planning to leverage its expertise to build further EV charging sites, including one in early 2025 in Newark, New Jersey, with charging and storage for 62 commercial EVs.