Class 8 electric trucks (such as the Tesla Semi, Freightliner eCascadia, and Volvo VNR Electric) require massive battery packs between 500 kWh and 1,000 kWh to deliver 300 to 500 miles of highway range. Unlike passenger EVs charging overnight at 7 kW–11 kW, commercial logistics depots with 40 to 100 trucks need to replenish hundreds of kilowatt-hours during 30–60 minute driver rest intervals.

• The Megawatt Spike: Simultaneous charging of just 8 trucks at 1.2 MW draws 9.6 MW—the electrical equivalent of powering 7,000 suburban homes simultaneously.
• Substation Lead Times: Utilities frequently cite 24 to 48 months to deliver a 10+ MW substation upgrade, making high-power commercial depot siting one of the greatest friction points in freight decarbonization.
• Peak Shaving with BESS: Colocating 4–10 MWh of stationary storage allows the facility to absorb the initial 15-minute 1,000+ amp charging surge without exceeding utility thermal transformer limits.