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So far Julie Brooks has created 123 blog entries.

Orange EV Trucks Are First All-Electric Cargo Equipment at Tacoma Intermodal Yard

2026-01-26T14:34:04-06:00March 14, 2022|Rail Intermodal|

The South Intermodal Yard (SIM) in Tacoma will be the first location for all-electric yard handling equipment in The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway. The SIM Electric Truck Project represents a $2.2 million investment for equipment purchase and infrastructure installation supported by funding from Tacoma Power, Rail Management Services and DERA grant funds. “The NWSA is very excited to welcome the first all-electric yard handling equipment to Tacoma. “This is delivering on our commitment to reduce maritime emissions through the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy while also increasing operational efficiency and demonstrating the effectiveness of zero-emission equipment in our gateway.” “Partnerships like this move our community forward toward a clean energy future,” said . “Transportation is the top polluter in our region, and we can help combat that by transitioning the fueling of vehicles to our clean, renewable hydroelectric energy.” In 2020, the NWSA was awarded $732,000 in Diesel Reduction Act (DERA) grant funding which supported the purchase of six electric yard trucks by Rail Management Services. The terminal tractors were furnished by pure electric heavy-duty truck company, Orange EV. The project has been further supported by Tacoma Power’s Cargo and Material Handling Equipment and Hostler Trucks program with $132,000 for infrastructure components of the project. Each electric yard truck will be used to move containers on chassis to and from container stacks and rail cars. Rail Management Services has experience successfully deploying zero-emission cargo handling equipment in other locations around the country. Over the lifetime of the equipment and with grant funds included, purchase and operational costs of the electric trucks will be near that of current diesel cargo equipment models, making this investment a strategic environmental benefit to surrounding port areas. The SIM Electric Yard Truck project is expected to reduce GHG’s and diesel particulate matter in the NWSA gateway by approximately 259 tons per year and 1.41 tons per year, respectively. Electricity is not only cleaner than traditional diesel equipment, but has operational advantages such as being less expensive to operate and requiring less maintenance due to fewer moving parts. Published: { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "contentlocation": "United States", "url": "", "name": "Orange EV trucks at Tacoma intermodal yard", "description": "Orange EV trucks at Tacoma intermodal yard", "datePublished": "2022-03-14", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } }

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Electric Yard Trucks: Don’t be Afraid of the Cold

2025-10-10T14:22:36-05:00February 15, 2022|Yard Trucks|

The transition to electrification for the transportation industry is underway. One of the most successful applications of this revolution can be found in the rapidly growing usage of electric yard trucks, also known as terminal tractors, yard hostlers and many other names. The speed of adoption may surprise some, with Orange EV electric yard trucks already being used by more than 100 fleets. This scale of deployments has provided plenty of cold weather use case examples, including sites in Minnesota at temperatures of -33° Fahrenheit. As more and more data comes in, it’s proving that as long as the right choices are made upfront and the right behaviors are implemented on-site, an EV yard truck can be superior, regardless of the climate. Concerns about performance in extreme cold are not unique to battery electric vehicles. For diesel-powered trucks, the negative impacts of cold weather are very well known: Lithium batteries, like the Lithium iron phosphate batteries used in Orange EV yard trucks, produce no local polluting emissions, and sites don’t have to worry about liquid fuel spills. Electric motors never need to idle, and electric heaters can warm up the cab much faster than a cold diesel engine might. And, of course, there are the financial savings, with the electricity to power an EV yard truck costing 85-90% less than diesel fuel. The EV truck’s performance shouldn’t be any different in cold weather, but what is different is the increased energy consumption that occurs from two primary factors: Heating the batteries and heating the cab. All Orange EV yard trucks come with built-in battery heaters that keep the batteries from getting too cold, even when there are sub-zero temperatures outside. Then using the in-cab heat will logically use more energy to keep the driver comfortable during colder weather. Proper battery management and charging behaviors are especially key to the successful operation of a fleet of electric yard trucks in cold weather, but are important regardless of temperature, so we work closely with our customers to spec their truck and train their drivers. That said, it really comes down to these simple tips: Through 6 years of deployments and trucks running in wintry sites including Chicago, Buffalo, Minnesota, and Ontario, Canada, these steps have led to proven success. Our customers report dramatic reductions in their maintenance costs when using our EV trucks versus their diesels. Consider also that the strain and costs to maintain a diesel yard truck are even greater when it’s deployed in a cold, rough environment. Fleets may be initially skeptical when they hear about maintenance savings around 75%, but then they think more about what parts of their diesel truck drive most of their repair costs and downtime pain. Here’s a list of some of the components and fluids that you will not find in an Orange EV electric yard truck (note that some EV OEMs may still include some of these parts): Imagine if the maintenance and repair costs for all of these items were zero for the life of your truck – even in frigid deployment locations. That’s what it can be like with an EV Yard Truck. Any way you look at it, electric yard trucks can fit in perfectly with your current operations, even if they take place in a harsh, cold environment. Yard trucks are an ideal EV application, without any range anxiety, and supported by learnings and improvements from six years in market. Electric yard trucks provide you with clean, efficient, reliable, quiet, and cost-effective performance, while eliminating the hassles, noise, smells, and high fuel and maintenance costs of diesel yard trucks. What are you waiting for? Everyone from your drivers to your CFO and CEO will thank you for making the switch. 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Electric Vehicles Match Diesel Performance in the Cold

2025-10-10T14:32:04-05:00February 15, 2022|Yard Trucks|

As battery-electric vehicles gain popularity for different uses in transportation, some are wondering if they can perform in the cold and harsh environments that diesel vehicles handle well. Just as mileage for conventional vehicles depends on several factors, the range for EVs can vary with cold weather, high-speed driving or accessory use, according to the . Accessory power use for things like heating a vehicle’s cabin can impact the energy consumption and vehicle range for EVs. “Unlike fossil fuel-powered vehicles, the thermal energy available from the electric motor is not able to meet heating demands in winter, and the energy consumption related to heating can significantly affect the vehicle performance in terms of range,” said a done at the University of Brescia in Italy. The study used publicly available Nissan Leaf data to model the impacts of accessory power consumption such as cabin heating on energy consumption for EVs. The data was based on an experiment in which the Nissan Leaf’s range was tested across a broad range of winter ambient temperatures in Canada. The study concluded: “The effect of ambient temperature and the consequent accessories consumption due to cabin heating are shown to be remarkable. For instance, in case of driving cycles, the range exceeds 150 kilometers at 20 degrees C, while it reduces to about 85 kilometers and 60 kilometers at 0 degrees C and minus 15 degrees C, respectively.” That’s the equivalent of going from a range of 93 miles at 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 53 miles at 32 degrees F and 37 miles at 5 degrees F. Of course, this is for a short-range passenger EV. Research on the performance of electric trucks in cold weather is scarce. Terminal tractors, or yard trucks, rarely leave their home base. Yard trucks are the , because they don’t have to travel long distances. They can quickly find a charger when there’s down time or when they need to reenergize their batteries. “The actual performance of our Orange EV yard truck is not any different in hot or cold weather — it just uses more energy in cold weather,” Kurt Neutgens, president and CTO of Orange EV, told FreightWaves. Like any vehicle, EVs need to be designed and adapted for the environments they operate in, Neutgens said, but that can be accomplished. “Because of the additional energy used to heat the battery boxes and the cab, it is possible that operations in extreme cold could use 3 to 6 kilowatts more energy per hour than when temperatures are in the 70s,” Neutgens said. It depends on the temperatures and how efficient the heaters are, he said, so it’s important to test batteries in cold weather and pay attention to the battery pack size companies purchase for their EVs. The Kansas City-based electric terminal tractor provider has had yard trucks operating in snowy and cold environments for years. “Our coldest location is likely in Otsego, Minnesota, at a Ruan facility. In that part of Minnesota, it’s not uncommon to hit minus 20 degrees F for multiple days, and it’s been down to minus 33 degrees Fahrenheit with our truck operating. … The snowiest Orange EV location is likely Buffalo, New York, where our trucks have been operating successfully for five years,” Neutgens said. In the 2018 to 2019 winter season, Buffalo received 94 inches of snowfall, and the average annual snowfall for the city was 70 inches between 1981 and 2010, according to the . Orange EV yard trucks have heating elements inside the battery boxes, so the batteries can continue to supply power and run the truck as normal in frigid temperatures, Neutgens said. Though they can take energy from the battery, electric heaters can heat up the cab faster than a diesel engine, he said. “Any fleet operator considering a switch to electric vehicles has concerns regarding duty cycle and range of the assets. But in the evaluation, they have to also take into account the terrain and weather conditions,” said Tyler Cole, director of carbon intelligence at FreightWaves. Cole continued: “If they’re sacrificing substantial range in extreme temperatures, it’s going to weigh into their asset purchasing decision. For the last mile, light-to-medium-duty trucks and drayage operations, that’s probably less of a constraint. But any long-haul operator looking at EV trucks in the medium term is appropriately weighing the trade-offs between the total cost of ownership and interoperability of its assets.” to extend EV range in the winter include: Because EVs take more energy in cold environments, it’s important for companies to keep a charger open to keep the batteries warm and recharge trucks when needed, Neutgens said. Published: { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "contentlocation": "United States", "url": "", "name": "Electric yard truck operating in New York", "description": "Electric yard truck operating in New York", "datePublished": "2022-02-16", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } }

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New High-Load, Higher Speed, Fast Charge Terminal Trucks For Intermodal Operations

2025-10-10T15:14:44-05:00September 20, 2021|Electric Class 8 Truck|

KANSAS CITY, MO, (SEPTEMBER 13, 2021) – Orange EV, a leading manufacturer of innovative, heavy-duty, electric vehicle (EV) truck solutions, has announced its new intermodal terminal trucks, scheduled to be available Q3 2022, to meet the increased cargo handling and lifting demands required by port and rail intermodal operations. Orange EV’s T-Series Class 8 electric terminal trucks have been commercially deployed since 2015 and have proven their outstanding performance, uptime, and cost savings during more than 1 million hours of operation. Built on the experience and success of the T-Series, the new series boasts new design elements and additional power to deliver the increased performance required by faster-paced, maximum-load operations: In addition to the new trucks being a strong fit for intermodal operations, they will also perform especially well in distribution centers and other environments that operate with very heavy loads, steep grades, and/or require faster speeds. Just as the T-Series has been transforming yard management, the new series of trucks will increase efficiency and reduce costs to intermodal operators providing essential services. “Orange EV understands the vital role that today’s port and rail hubs play in goods movement, warehousing, and freight distribution,” said Kurt Neutgens, Orange EV’s Chief Technology Officer. “Intermodal operations that have been looking for safer, more reliable, cost-effective trucks – that can do the job – now have a solution. The new Orange EV trucks will deliver all that and more.” Orange EV is now accepting pre-orders. To learn more about Orange EV yard trucks or schedule a demo, please visit:

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RDS Logistics Group Deploys All Electric Vehicles With Toyota

2026-01-26T13:32:29-06:00September 3, 2021|3rd Party Logistics|

RDS Logistics Group announced the deployment of a new electric vehicle fleet today. The new fleet will consist of seven electric terminal yard hostlers as part of RDS Logistics Groups' ongoing effort to promote sustainability. The EVs will be used at the Toyota Ontario Parts Center to increase overall performance and eliminate emissions. The delivery of the EV fleet marks the first electric vehicle deployment at the facility since the two companies joined forces over 24 years ago in 1997. "Adding these emissions-free vehicles to our fleet helps move us closer to achieving the carbon reduction goals laid out in Toyota's Challenge 2050," said , group manager, Parts Supply Chain Operations, Toyota Motor North America. "We're confident in the technology and capability of these new vehicles and look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with RDS to achieve our common sustainability goals." RDS Logistics Group exists to serve the community and cultivate a better tomorrow for us all. The purchase of their new Orange EVs will assist in propelling environmental protection efforts forward. As a company, RDS Logistics Group has committed to lead the way in reducing carbon emissions, and they look forward to rallying around a more sustainable future. Through decades of industry leadership and proprietary technology, RDS continues to grow, evolve, and develop strategic partnerships with companies that share similar visions. "We are proud to inaugurate the use of Zero-Emissions yard spotters at Toyota's Ontario California facility and thereby contributing to Toyota's ambitious 2035 and 2050 clean air and renewable power initiatives," said , founder, RDS Logistics Group. "Building on this initiative, we are in the process of constructing an additional, greenfield Inland Empire facility that will utilize self-generated and stored solar power along with all-electric handling equipment and LEED qualified building and operating techniques. Toyota is a great business partner with whom to share our clean energy goals." , RDS is a leader in the logistics marketplace. Operations include Intermodal Drayage, Dedicated Trucking, Small Haul Trucking, Regional Trucking, Cross-Dock Services, Brokerage Services, and Yard Management. RDS consistently delivers better outcomes for customers by providing truth and transparency. Please find more information on how RDS is rallying together for our environment and the transportation industry at . ) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30 million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including our joint venture in that begins production in 2021. To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at .

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