bp pulse completes phase one of electric truck charging depot, supporting environmentally responsible food distributor OK Produce

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Sep 13, 2023, 10:00 ET

Electrification project phase one is operational, including 10 Freightliner EV trucks, three Orange EV yard trackers, nine Heliox charging stations, and integration of bp pulse's Omega charging management software.
bp pulse's Omega software optimizes OK Produce's EV fleet for lowest cost energy and streamlines charging operations.
Anticipates breaking ground on phase two of OK Produce's electrification project in early 2024.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- bp pulse and OK Produce today announced the completion of the first phase of OK Produce's fleet electrification project. OK Produce, a leading fresh fruits and vegetable distributor providing daily deliveries throughout California, selected bp pulse to manage the fleet's electrification process.

bp pulse delivered the EV charging solution for OK Produce's mixed fleet of 10 Freightliner EV trucks, three Orange EV yard tractors and three Heliox DC fast chargers, which allows for the service of up to 10 EV tractors. The chargers operate with Omega, bp pulse's charge management software, optimizing charging times for lowest cost energy and streamlining charging operations.

Vic Shao, president of bp pulse fleet, said: "To ensure optimal fleet performance, our Omega charge management software is being used to plan, measure, and increase operational efficiency and will help OK Produce easily introduce additional vehicles and chargers into their operations as the project expands."

Driven by a commitment to sustainability and reducing the carbon intensity of operations, OK Produce CEO Brady Matoian partnered with bp pulse for electrification site design, construction, utility engagement, and overall stakeholder management in 2022. To bring the project to life, SEAM was selected as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor, and bp pulse coordinated closely with utility PG&E to provide a new line of electric service.

"Since 2001 when the company launched its sustainability program, OK Produce has made a comprehensive commitment to the environment including the installation of 4.5 megawatts of solar power featuring over 12,000 PV panels. As we looked to electrify our fleet, we knew we needed a partner that would help us truly maximize the results of our efforts, and simplify the process," Matoian said. "Staying hands on in the decision-making process was important, and being able to trust bp pulse with more of the heavy lifting and technical pieces ensured this project moved forward promptly and efficiently."

bp pulse anticipates breaking ground on phase two of the project in early 2024, further reducing the carbon intensity of OK Produce's fleet operations by introducing solar as a green electricity source. Phase two will rely on key partnerships – including Pacific Solar to install the solar panels and ABB to deliver 14 additional DC Fast Chargers – to supply power to an additional 27 electric vehicles, bringing OK Produce's total electric fleet to 36.

"Our goal at OK Produce is to deliver healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables in the healthiest way possible from field to store," Matoian said."We rely on mother nature to provide all the products we handle for our customers so it's very important to us to do business in a way that has a lower impact on the planet Earth. Although we have made great progress along the way towards this goal, our fleet remains our greatest opportunity for improvement in regard to environmental impact. We appreciate the partnership with bp pulse in phase 1 and look forward with enthusiasm toward phase 2 and beyond."

About OK Produce

OK Produce is a third-generation family-owned wholesale produce company founded in 1950. OK Produce delivers high quality fresh fruits and vegetables daily serving primarily grocery stores statewide and into southern Oregon and Nevada. Starting in 2000, OK Produce launched a comprehensive sustainability program featuring an early adoption of one of the first large scale solar power projects in California in 2001. Today, the commitment to the environment has expanded to include 4.5 megawatts of solar (12,000 panels) which supplies over 80% of total power consumption. The current carbon reduction of the fleet includes 10 of the company's 90 semi trucks, 100% of their yard trucks and 100% of their company vehicles.

About bp  pulse

bp pulse is bp's electric vehicle (EV) charging business, rolling out fast, reliable charge points to consumers and commercial fleets around the world. Entering into the Americas, bp pulse focuses on providing EV charging and energy management to fleets that operate heavy-, medium- and light-duty vehicles. Key offerings for these fleets include intelligent charge management software, Omega, and a Charging-as-a-Service solution–allowing bp pulse to manage the charging of an EV fleet from start to finish, while optimizing energy costs and vehicle utilization. Globally, bp pulse is one of the UK's leading rapid and ultra-fast public EV charging networks. It also operates the largest number of sites with ultra- fast charging in Germany, with a growing charging point footprint in China and the Netherlands. The company aims to increase its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 100,000 worldwide. 

Media Contact:

bp US Media Affairs, [email protected]

SOURCE bp America