California, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California are working together on a network of charging and hydrogen fueling stations intended to support zero-emission trucks traveling the West Coast.

Government leaders announced the British Columbia to Baja California ZEV Corridor, or BC2BC, Aug. 26 at the Port of Long Beach.

The initiative would eventually allow battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell trucks to travel from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Baja California, Mexico, along a West Coast freight corridor centered on I-5 in the U.S.

The initial buildout is expected to include 20 electric truck charging stations and three hydrogen fueling stations. Nearly 10,000 trucks travel the corridor on an average day.

The five governments also committed to coordinating technical standards, infrastructure planning, and other requirements so trucks can use charging and fueling infrastructure across jurisdictions.

“With global fuel prices driving up the cost of moving goods, partnerships like this are more critical than ever to strengthen our economies and advance Governor Newsom’s zero-emission transportation goals,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin.

Giving Fleets More Confidence in Charging

For fleets, one of the biggest challenges in adopting zero-emission trucks for long-haul or regional operations is knowing that compatible charging or fueling will be available along the route.

“Freight corridors are where electrification can deliver real operational value at scale,” said Aravind Kailas, advanced technology policy director at Volvo Group North America.

“By aligning charging infrastructure, technical standards, and planning across jurisdictions, the BC2BC initiative can give fleets greater confidence to plan routes, maintain uptime, and make long-term investment decisions,” he said.

Volvo Group North America, Southern California Edison, Tesla, EV Realty, and King Fio Trucking participated in the launch event.

Zero-emission trucks from IMC Logistics and 4Gen Logistics were on display, along with trucks from Volvo, Tesla and ZM Trucks.

Coordinating Zero-Emission Infrastructure

The five participating governments issued a statement of principles outlining plans to coordinate infrastructure and technical requirements across the corridor.

“The Port of the Future will need new, innovative technologies, energy sources, and sustainable practices to realize our goals of doubling our annual cargo volume to 20 million containers by 2050 and becoming the first zero-emission port in North America,” said Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach.

He said the agreement could help provide the infrastructure support trucking companies need to move toward zero-emission trucks on major freight routes between Canada and Mexico.

The BC2BC initiative is supported by the California State Transportation Agency, CALSTART/Drive to Zero and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. The organizations are helping coordinate planning and investment.

Next Steps in the West Coast ZEV Corridor Project

Following the August 26 launch, representatives from the five jurisdictions will hold technical meetings to coordinate standards, guidance and infrastructure planning.

The project expands on California's existing efforts to develop zero-emission truck charging and fueling infrastructure along West Coast freight routes by extending that coordination across the Canadian and Mexican borders.

The work also is expected to feed into the next edition of Caltrans' California-Baja California Border Master Plan, which will include plans for zero-emission vehicles and supporting infrastructure.

BC2BC is part of the broader Global Green Road Corridors initiative, which is working to develop lower-emission freight corridors connecting ports, logistics hubs and cities. Similar corridor projects are under development in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia.