May 19, 2008 - The Port of Los Angeles has unveiled a new zero-emissions electric drayage truck that can pull a 60,000-pound cargo container at top speeds of 40 miles per hour.

The new heavy-duty truck has a range between 30 to 60 miles per battery charge. The battery charger can charge up to four electric trucks simultaneously in four hours and can also provide up to 60% of the charge in one hour to meet peak demands during daily operations, according to the Port of Los Angeles.

The port says it is still conducting an assessment of net emissions reductions, taking into account the emissions created in the generation of electric power used to charge the electric truck's batteries. However, it estimates that if the port's 1.2 million short-haul trips were made by electric vehicles instead of diesel trucks, it would prevent about 35,000 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

The truck also costs less to operate. "On a kilowatt hour of energy cost-basis, this electric truck costs roughly 20 cents a mile to operate," the Port of Los Angeles said in a statement. "On a per-mile cost-basis, a common diesel truck could cost anywhere from four to nine times as much, depending on fluctuating fuel costs and actual duty-cycle activity."

The Port of Los Angeles has been active in incorporating cleaner vehicles into its cargo fleet. In November, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach - the largest ports in California - adopted a plan to phase out its most polluting diesel trucks by 2012.

The new truck is the result of a yearlong collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Watch a video of the truck in action here: