Electrified Long-Distance Shipping
To address the poor air quality along the Wasatch Front, ASPIRE has partnered with Kenworth and UPS to create two electrified routes using a battery-electric Kenworth truck powered by two static 1-megawatt (MW) chargers. Developed by ASPIRE’s team at Utah State University (USU), this 1-MW WPT system will be deployed at the ASPIRE Electric Vehicle and Roadway (EVR) facility in Logan and the Utah Inland Port in Salt Lake City.
At the heart of the rollout are two stationary wireless chargers, pioneering the first large-scale deployment of 1-megawatt wireless power transfer (WPT) systems in North America. One charger has been installed at ASPIRE’s EVR in Logan, Utah. A second deployment is ongoing at the Utah Inland Port in Salt Lake City. These systems, developed by ASPIRE’s multidisciplinary research team, are engineered to deliver megawatt-class power without connectors, enabling ultra-fast, hands-free charging.
Beginning in Fall 2025, this pilot will span at least 10,000 miles over a minimum three-month duration, deploying the routes for two UPS parcel-hauling runs from the Inland Port. One route heads north to Logan, the other south toward the Provo/Orem area—each carrying heavy “Rocky Mountain Doubles” trailer configurations through steep grades and variable mountain weather.
The initiative aims to validate fast charging of a Class-8 battery-electric semi under real-world, challenging operational conditions, including mountainous terrain and harsh climates. Demonstrating that existing wireless charging technology can reliably electrify long-haul freight.