Penske Truck Leasing announced on April 24 the opening of commercial heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations with 14 high-speed chargers at four of its existing facilities in Southern California.

According to Penske, its near-term plan includes adding at least six more chargers, bringing the total number to 20. The truck lessor said it Penske believes these are the first DC fast-charging stations in the U.S. designed specifically for heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles.

"We're committed to being at the forefront of commercial vehicle electrification," said Brian Hard, president and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. "We are investing to ensure our customers have access to the right vehicles, technology, charging infrastructure and information to help shape the future of mobility in our industry."

Located throughout Southern California at Penske Truck Leasing's facilities in San Diego, Chino, Anaheim and La Mirada, the 14 chargers connect directly to a commercial truck's battery charging system, providing a DC fast-charging option for commercial electric fleets.

Penske said that by utilizing 50 kW to 150 kW chargers, this infrastructure allows it to power an all-electric Class 8 tractor from zero to 100% charge in less than half a shift.

Penske celebrated the announcement at a livestreamed ribbon-cutting at its La Mirada facility. A Class 8 Freightliner eCascadia electric tractor was on hand as part of the charging demonstration.

"We are proud to provide our customers with the ability to quickly and conveniently charge their electric truck fleets at these locations," said Andrew Cullen, senior vice president of fuels and facilities at Penske Truck Leasing. "We'll continue to add new locations and charging infrastructure to support our customers as our electric fleet continues to grow and the demand for commercial electric vehicles gains momentum."

Penske Truck Leasing has previously announced the addition of light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial electric trucks to its operations.