The 2025 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, held in Anaheim, CA from April 28 to May 1, brought together nearly 12,000 attendees and over 500 exhibitors. From megawatt charging to hydrogen innovations, the event showcased how rapidly the commercial transportation sector is evolving.
🌟 Key Highlights from ACT Expo 2025
📈 Industry Growth and Innovation
- Record-Breaking Attendance: A 40% year-over-year increase in participation cemented ACT Expo’s position as the premier clean transportation event.
- Expanded Focus: This year’s show went beyond battery-electric vehicles, emphasizing low-carbon fuels like renewable natural gas (RNG), propane, and biodiesel to support diverse fleet needs.
🚚 Notable Vehicle and Technology Unveilings
- Hyundai: Unveiled the latest XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck for North America with hydrogen power and advanced driver assistance systems.
- Harbinger: Showcased a plug-in hybrid truck with up to 500 miles of range, using electric drive and a gasoline range extender.
- Blue Bird Corporation: Introduced a step van with a 140kWh battery offering 130 miles per charge, and a propane-powered Class 5–6 chassis with a 7.3L V8 engine.
- Schaeffler: Presented a full systems approach to sustainability with innovations across chassis, powertrains, electrification, and integration.
🔌 Infrastructure Developments
- Voltera: Announced new EV charging hubs in CA, TX, AZ, and FL. The expansion includes 294 stalls and 28 MW of charging capacity, supporting fleet-scale electrification.
🎤 Leadership and Insights
- Keynotes: Major voices from the industry — including Jennifer Rumsey (Cummins), Mathias Carlbaum (International), and Lars Stenqvist (Volvo Group) — shared perspectives on transition strategies and industry readiness.
- Educational Tracks: Nearly 300 industry experts discussed TCO modeling, automated tech, regulatory planning, and more.
🏆 Awards and Recognitions
- 2025 ACT Expo Fleet Awards: Honored companies leading in sustainable fleet practices, including Portland General Electric and Republic Services.
⚡ Tesla’s 1.2 MW Charging System
Tesla introduced a 1.2 MW charger for its Semi trucks, with 46 dedicated charging sites coming online.
- Based on what’s been shared publicly (including Wikipedia), this charger likely builds on Tesla’s NACS standard, possibly extended to higher power.
- It is not confirmed to follow the CharIN-led Megawatt Charging System (MCS) standard, suggesting Tesla is pursuing a proprietary path for now.
This positions Tesla Semi charging as vertically integrated, while other OEMs like Volvo, Daimler, and PACCAR are leaning toward open standards like MCS.
💧 Hydrogen: The Hype, Reality, and Hope
Hydrogen remained a centerpiece at ACT Expo — particularly for heavy-duty applications — but cost remains a significant obstacle.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Current H₂ Cost | ~$36/kg |
| DOE 2030 Goal | $5/kg |
| Long-Term Target | $2/kg |
Hyundai, Cummins, and Nikola highlighted H₂ truck readiness and fueling solutions. However, infrastructure gaps and high production costs continue to limit scale.
🔁 Alternative Fuels: Pricing & Emissions
Fleets are increasingly exploring RNG, biodiesel, propane, and electricity as pathways to carbon reduction. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:
| Fuel Type | Price (GGE/DGE) | CO₂ Emissions (g/GGE) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | $3.55 | 10,180 | High emissions, traditional fuel |
| Gasoline | $3.06 | 8,887 | Widely available |
| Biodiesel (B20) | $3.34 | ~8,164 | 20% blend; modest emission reduction |
| Biodiesel (B99/B100) | $3.93 | ~2,647 | ~74% lower lifecycle emissions |
| CNG | $2.99 | ~6,000 | RNG version can be carbon-negative |
| LNG | $4.86 | ~6,000 | Suitable for long-haul |
| Propane | $3.33 | ~5,700 | Lower emissions than gasoline |
| Ethanol (E85) | $2.57 | ~5,332 | Production method affects emissions |
| Electricity | ~$1.68/GGE | ~386 g/kWh | Depends on grid source |
| Hydrogen (gray) | ~$36/kg | ~0 tailpipe | Production pathway affects true impact |
Sources: EPA, DOE, AFDC, MIT
🛣️ Greenlane: Building the Backbone of Zero-Emission Freight
Greenlane Infrastructure, LLC is a $675 million joint venture by Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy Resources, and BlackRock. Its goal is to develop a nationwide public charging and hydrogen refueling network for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.
🤝 Strategic Partnerships
- Volvo Trucks North America: In April 2025, Greenlane became Volvo’s first official Charge Point Operator (CPO). Volvo customers now get real-time access to Greenlane sites via the Volvo Open Charge platform.
- Einride: Not a direct JV partner, but running parallel infrastructure efforts with its Einride Stations for autonomous electric freight.
📍 Infrastructure Rollout
- Colton, CA Site: The first Greenlane flagship station will host over 60 chargers for all commercial duty classes.
- I-15 Electric Corridor: Spanning 280 miles from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with sites in Colton, Barstow, and Baker spaced 60–90 miles apart.
⚙️ Technology Focus
- Designed for Megawatt Charging System (MCS) compatibility.
- Integrated fleet management, billing, and route planning tools.
- Publicly accessible, brand-agnostic charging — not limited to JV partner brands.
🌍 Volvo’s Global Approach: “Partnership is the New Leadership”
Volvo Trucks continues to act on its belief that “partnership is the new leadership”, aiming to accelerate sustainable transport through collaboration rather than competition.
🇪🇺 Milence JV in Europe
- In Europe, Volvo joined forces with Daimler Truck and TRATON Group to launch Milence, a joint venture to build a public high-capacity truck charging network across the EU.
- Target: Over 1,700 charging points by 2027, starting with sites in Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Scandinavia.
- Stations will support MCS and be open to all truck brands, promoting interoperability.
🌐 Seamless Charging Experience
Volvo’s vision — through both Greenlane and Milence — is to provide fleet customers with a seamless, integrated charging experience across regions:
- Real-time charger availability
- Unified billing systems
- Smart route and energy planning
- Interoperable access across platforms
By building on open infrastructure and partner ecosystems, Volvo aims to lead the transition toward zero-emission freight on a truly global scale.
🧠 Final Thoughts
ACT Expo 2025 made it clear: clean transportation is no longer optional—it’s strategic. Whether through megawatt charging, hydrogen breakthroughs, or renewable fuels, the path forward is diverse and dynamic. OEMs, fleets, and policymakers must work together to overcome infrastructure, policy, and cost barriers to truly unlock the zero-emissions future.
Posted by Abhijit Das · May 1, 2025