Grid capacity is not expanding fast enough, leaving charging sites waiting years – sometimes up to a decade – for the necessary electricity. Building new substations can take up to 8 years, while expanding existing substations can take 4-5 years. This grid bottleneck threatens the trucking industry’s ability to electrify its fleet.
EV charging companies like WattEV are increasingly turning to solar-powered microgrids. These systems reduce reliance on the strained grid, allowing for more charging capacity without overwhelming the existing infrastructure. For its Bakersfield, California depot, WattEV needed a solar solution that maximized energy density per land unit. The site had to accommodate not only the solar microgrid and battery storage but also multiple chargers and essential truck stop amenities like restrooms and a commercial center. The 5B Maverick Solution proved ideal – cost effective and energy dense – enabling WattEV to fit the entire project, including all its components, on to just 119 acres.