Electric Truck Charging Station, First of Type in N.J., Gets Newark Approval

NEWARK — It’s going to be electric.

That’s the plan for a “Zero-Emission Vehicle Fueling Facility” the Central Planning Board on Monday approved for 4.9 acres at 567-589 Wilson Ave., just off the New Jersey Turnpike. It is for charging electric-powered commercial trucks.

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“The proposed project is the first of its kind in New Jersey and aligns with the city’s vision for future environmental sustainability by helping to decarbonize the future transportation around the port,” Chris Murphy, an attorney representing the real estate and logistics company Prologis, said.

Prologis is rolling out the “mobility hub” charging stations across the country, Murphy said. They are for customers of Prologis Mobility , which offers to transform companies' gas-powered fleets into electric-powered ones.

The facility in Newark is to include 78 spaces for charging tractor-trailer cabs and 22 spaces with room for trailers, along with eight car parking spaces, according to the plans.

“This project represents an exciting opportunity to support New Jersey's transition to clean fuel with vehicles that can charge up to 100 commercial EVs at the same time,” Henrik Holland, global head of mobility for Prologis, said in an emailed statement. "As a long-time member of the New Jersey business community, we are proud to make this investment, which will help drive the adoption of commercial EVs in the state.”

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A 2,820-square-foot prefabricated lounge will include bathrooms, indoor seating and wireless internet, according to Prologis. The site is the former location of the Newark Cogeneration power station, a fossil fuel facility, and is being remediated for soil contamination, an environmental justice statement submitted to the city says.

Prologis anticipates that there will soon be more electric-powered vehicles that will need to charge, Dan Miola, the project engineer, said.

The project is waiting for approval from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Miola said, and will also require a flood hazard permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection. By reducing the amount of impervious coverage, which is the ground space that does not absorb water, from 100% to 75%, the project will demonstrate that it complies with the state’s rules, he said.

“Taking an acre and a half of pavement and replacing it with vegetation, in and of itself, will be an improvement,” Miola said.

Vanessa Thomas, an Ironbound community member, asked about the risk of fire. The station, Thomas said, is close to properties that have scrap metal.

“What if any measures are in place for fire risk that may be associated with the EVs and lithium-ion batteries, or EV charging in general,” Thomas said. The station also would be close to Doremus Avenue, which has natural gas power plants and the Shell terminal that stores fuel, she said.

Murphy said Prologis would comply with all the state, federal and local regulations concerning fire safety.

“There is obviously a concern for safety,” he said. “The applicant is also the owner of the operator of the property.”

The National Fire Protection Association says EV fires are less frequent than those in vehicles with internal combustion engines, which happen every 2 to 3 minutes in the United States.

"There are fewer electric vehicle fires," the NFPA says. "When EV fires do occur, though, they can pose unique challenges."

A spokesperson for Prologis said the site would be staffed round-the-clock with security personnel.

"The creation of this Mobility Hub will benefit not only the city of Newark but also the broader region and state by providing the necessary charging infrastructure to support the trucking industry's shift to zero-emission vehicles," the spokesperson said.

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