Electric Semi Truck Race Accelerates as EV Realty Adds New SoCal Charging Hub

The electric semi truck market is picking up speed, and the infrastructure needed to keep those big rigs rolling is racing to keep pace. This week, EV Realty announced it has acquired a new site in Southern California’s Inland Empire for its next commercial truck charging hub, a move that signals growing confidence in the commercial EV sector.

The new location, at 2151 E. Philadelphia Street in Ontario, sits in what the company describes as the West Coast’s largest and most concentrated warehousing submarket. It’s a strategic spot: the property offers quick access to the east-west SR-60 and north-south I-15 freeways, making it well-suited for fleets serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as intermodal facilities in Los Angeles and San Bernardino. It’s also just three miles from Ontario International Airport, one of the nation’s top cargo airports and a key hub for air freight operations run by UPS and FedEx.

“Ontario sits at the convergence of the nation’s largest container gateway and the densest warehouse cluster in North America,” said EV Realty CEO Patrick Sullivan. “This part of Southern California is among the most important freight hubs in the world and is the epicenter of truck electrification for this country.” Sullivan added that once the site is operational, EV Realty will have 27 MW of simultaneous truck charging capacity between the ports and the Inland Empire, calling it a step toward real scale.

The push comes as demand for electric big rigs climbs, fueled in part by record-high diesel prices that have fleets looking for more predictable operating costs. Major manufacturers are responding: BYD and Volvo are preparing to launch their third-generation electric trucks, and the Tesla Semi is reportedly in production after years of delays. Meanwhile, a growing number of companies are rolling out charging hubs designed specifically for commercial vehicles, featuring wide turning areas, easy highway access, and pull-through layouts that accommodate trailers.

Grid capacity in Southern California remains severely constrained in many areas, a challenge EV Realty says underscores the value of a high-capacity site for fleet operators. Construction is expected to begin early next year, with the chargers slated to come online before 2028. The project reflects a broader trend: as electric trucks move from pilot programs to mainstream fleet adoption, the race to build the charging backbone that supports them is only getting more competitive.