4Gen Logistics: Zero-Emission Drayage Fleet by 2025 in SoCal

Overview

Rialto, California (Times Media Service) — 4Gen Logistics is moving ahead of regulations with an operational plan to run a fully zero‑tailpipe emissions drayage fleet by the end of 2025. The company couples vehicle purchases with heavy‑duty charging infrastructure and public‑private partnerships to test whether aggressive decarbonization is practical for port short‑haul operations.

Why this matters

Drayage work consists of short, intense duty cycles that have historically been difficult to electrify at scale. 4Gen’s early deployment — vehicles plus depots — is a real‑world experiment to determine whether zero‑emission drayage can deliver predictable costs, sufficient uptime, and public‑health benefits in Southern California.

“By moving early and building charging capacity at the port and inland hub, 4Gen is testing whether a full zero‑emission drayage fleet is practical and cost‑effective today — not sometime in a distant future.”

Background and rationale

4Gen primarily operates between the San Pedro Bay Port Complex (the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach) and Inland Empire distribution centers. Those short routes contribute disproportionately to local air pollution, so state and local clean‑air programs have targeted drayage for early decarbonization.

Company leaders frame the effort as both moral and economic: cutting diesel reduces particulate and NOx exposure near ports and can lower fuel and maintenance costs over a truck’s life.

Fleet transformation: trucks and numbers

The overhaul began in 2022; the first major purchase was 41 Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 tractors, which provided early data on range and charging needs. By 2025 4Gen reported operating 79 zero‑emission vehicles.

• Volvo VNR Electric — battery‑electric Class 8 tractors (source)
• Kenworth T680E — BEVs for regional drayage (source)
• Nikola hydrogen fuel cell trucks — for longer or heavier routes where hydrogen may be advantageous (source)

4Gen selected models to match route profiles; drivers have reported smoother acceleration, less noise, and improved on‑shift quality of life, which encouraged expansion.

Charging infrastructure and the Long Beach charging depot

Charging is central to the strategy. 4Gen built two heavy‑duty depots: a Long Beach facility and a Rialto facility that together create a corridor linking port calls to inland runs. The Long Beach depot opened with 30 hyper‑fast 350 kW chargers — described by partners as one of the largest port charging depots in North America — with a phased expansion to 60 chargers planned.

Electrify America funded and helped build the depots under a public‑private model tied to broader efforts to scale heavy‑duty charging. Grants and regulatory support — including state and local programs — offset upfront costs and shared project risk.

Partnerships, pilots and funding

Early pilots were supported by programs and agencies such as Volvo LIGHTS, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), and port authorities. Electrify America delivered significant funding and technical work on chargers.

Operational commitment and management view

CEO David Duncan and VP Brad Bayne present the push as an operational strategy, not just a pilot. 4Gen says the shift began through grant opportunities and pilots but has matured into a long‑term plan that precedes regulatory mandates by roughly a decade.

Industry implications and open questions

4Gen provides a live case study: if battery and hydrogen trucks can meet drayage duty cycles with predictable costs, other operators may follow. The company also offers data on charger sizing, scheduling, and grid impact that can inform regulators, utilities, and planners.

Key questions remain: how will utilities handle peaks from dozens of 350 kW chargers? Can hydrogen fueling scale economically for drayage? What will maintenance and training needs look like as diesel fleets are replaced?

Implications for San Diego, California

Economic: Faster regional adoption could create demand for charging installers, HV technicians, and EV parts suppliers, but smaller operators may face capital barriers without grant access.

Air quality & public health: A successful zero‑emission drayage model could reduce diesel particulate and NOx along freight corridors, improving respiratory health in impacted neighborhoods.

Port & supply chain: Shippers and terminals may need to coordinate around charging windows and depot capacity to preserve drayage turnaround times.

Policy & funding: San Diego agencies can study 4Gen’s public‑private model — including partnerships with Electrify America — when seeking state or federal funds for infrastructure and workforce training.

Sources and further reading

• 4Gen Logistics company materials (vision for a 100% emission‑free fleet)
• 4Gen Logistics company update: Leading the charge (April 2025)
• Comvoy coverage: 4Gen Logistics leading the charge towards zero‑emission freight
• Electrek reporting on 4Gen’s ZEV milestone
• Duncan & Son overview of 4Gen’s progress

Watchpoints for reporters and analysts

Upcoming verification should track: final vehicle counts, charger expansion timelines at the Long Beach depot, and operational cost data versus diesel as 4Gen moves from pilot status to an all‑ZEV operation.