Copper Demand Rises
Industry posts argue copper demand from automation and electrified logistics systems is an underappreciated long‑term driver of industrial expansion in the Inland Empire and LA basin argued. Higher copper intensity matters for infrastructure planning—power delivery, charging, and equipment costs at modernized distribution centers.
S&P Global projected) in a January 8, 2026 special report that copper demand will rise through 2040 driven by AI/data‑center growth, EV electrification and industrial automation, concentrating new copper intensity in power distribution and connectivity equipment. A February 29, 2024 CSUSB story map on Inland Empire fleet electrification recommended) coordinated grid upgrades and “opportunity‑charging” deployments at truck depots and regional distribution hubs to meet medium‑ and heavy‑duty EV duty cycles. The U.S. Copper Institute reported) that 2024 U.S. copper use rose across sectors—transportation +2%, electrical equipment +4%, and industrial machinery +5%—underscoring higher material intensity for electrified logistics and automated equipment. Rising copper prices have driven component and cabling cost pressure and supplier surcharges that affect charger and substation buildout quotes documented), even as private chargers and fleet‑charging providers like TeraWatt accelerated Inland Empire rollouts with public project announcements starting in October 2023 to capture growing demand announced).
