Navistar, Inc. of Lisle, Illinois, and its NEXT eMobility team, and International dealer West Michigan International recently celebrated the opening of Michigan’s first public commercial EV (electrical vehicle) charging station, which also happens to be primed for commercial vehicle charging and will provide fleets the ability to charge larger vehicles, including Class 8 electric trucks.
Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, directly off the I-94, the DC fast charging station features two 24-hour charging hookups.
“We understand that time is money in the commercial vehicle industry, which led us to install one of the fastest chargers offered,” stated Ed Rietman, dealer principal of West Michigan International. “Similar to diesel fueling stations, drivers who utilize these public chargers will have the convenience of paying at the pump and getting in and out quickly.”
Rietman—International Truck’s 2019 North American Dealer of the Year—has grown West Michigan International to include more than 90 service bays with 280 highly skilled personnel across its five locations, as well as a round-the-clock emergency breakdown, towing, and recovery service.
With EVs becoming an industry focus, Rietman and his team decided to invest and aid customers in the transition.
“Our main goal, looking forward, is to stay aligned with advancing technologies so we can offer the best services to our customers,” Rietman explained. “Every business decision we make is with the customers’ best interests in mind, and we hope to deploy chargers at all our dealerships in the near future.”
The EV chargers at the station were installed with support from Navistar’s charging partner, InCharge.
The dealership worked closely with Navistar’s NEXT eMobility team to plan, coordinate and install the vehicle charger. NEXT operates around a model that provides an end-to-end solution for customers looking to transition their business operations to EVs.
“As the industry prepares for the increased adoption of zero-emissions commercial vehicles, the development of a robust public charging infrastructure is critical to that success,” said Jason Gies, Vice President, eMobility Business Development. “We’re proud to work closely with West Michigan International as they take this first step in creating a comprehensive charging network.”
Navistar’s brands, International and IC Bus, have the largest dealer network in North America with over 700 locations, and with support from Navistar’s NEXT eMobility team, are helping prepare customers for the transition to EVs.
For more information about Navistar’s shift to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility, visit www.navistar.com/our-path-forward/zero-emissions.