Warehouses may have to do double-duty as power providers as the push toward electric vehicles picks up, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Companies with growing fleets of electric trucks and cargo vans are starting to ask industrial real-estate developers to install chargers at their distribution centers. The requests signal that logistics operators are preparing for a shift in the power behind transport as the new technology gets a foothold in commercial operations.
Businesses and governments are starting to pay more attention to the relatively scant charging infrastructure that’s available along highways. But much of the investment so far has been aimed at passenger cars.
The high stakes in shipping operations have companies looking at natural logistics nodes like distribution centers. Still, adding charging capability adds costs and complications as warehouses need to ensure they have the space and energy to plug in.
