The Port of Oakland Board of Port Commissioners approved the Seaport Air Quality 2020 and Beyond Plan in 2019 which establishes zero-emission operations as the policy direction of the Seaport. Among the intermediate-term goals for the following five years is the deployment of 21 zero-emissions drayage trucks by 2027. Currently, the Port of Oakland has three battery-electric trucks in demonstration with up to 18 more coming in early 2020. This study analyzed the feasibility of zero-emissions trucks and presented some major challenges for transitioning the drayage truck fleet serving the Port. Among various challenges identified, the study underlined that the investments for battery charging stations were just as important to the planned transition as the affordability, feasibility and availability issues related to the battery electric drayage trucks. The initial investment cost for charging stations can be high and create a barrier preventing firms from making the transition. The study looked at the Port of Oakland and firms operating inside the Port, who were investing in charging infrastructure between 2019 and 2020. It also detailed various conditions which affect the purchasing and installation cost of the new charging stations for drayage trucks. 

Charging station capital costs for drayage trucks can vary greatly depending on existing infrastructure and needs. The capacity of the existing substation and the transmission system and the distance from the substation to the charging station all affect the cost. Additionally, trenching the cables through paved areas can greatly add to the final cost, and that cost can be compounded if the soil is contaminated. For example, the study reported that the Port of Oakland was building charging stations for between $125,000-$200,000 each, which required a new substation and panel, but not additional system capacity. In 2019, a truck company operating at the Port was able to buy their first charging station for about $11,000 with an installation cost of $10,000. They utilized the existing panel which had capacity available for the charging stations. Their second and third charging stations cost around $5,000 each, however, the installation costs rose to about $20,000 in total due to the need for trenching. In addition, the study quoted a previous estimate for fast charging stations that require up to one megawatt of power to be between $15,000 and $90,000.