While it won’t be mainstream for several years, electric-powered commercial trucks are in our future. They’ll be cleaner and easier to operate and maintain than the current diesel models we see everywhere today.
Electrification will significantly reduce fuel and maintenance costs, making it the logical next step. One current drawback is the weight of the batteries in an industry where load weight matters greatly. Operating cost saving paired with steadily decreasing prices of electric batteries will be an important factor. Europe is expected to adapt to these changes faster than the US as they have stricter environmental regulations and higher fuel costs.
Volvo, DAF, VDL Group, Cummins, Freightliner, and Peterbilt have already taken steps to electrify their smaller commercial trucks. For 2019, Interact estimates global sales of 163,000 light-duty electrified trucks, 12,250 medium-duty trucks, and just over 3,500 heavy-duty trucks.
There will need to be heavy advances in range and recharging before electric can take over the commercial trucking market, but with continued advances in cleaner energy, we will get there.
We at Carbon Express take steps to Think Green with our Green Fleet. We’ve worked hard to reduce the weight of our trucks, allowing us to haul more products with fewer trucks, less fuel, and lower emissions.
If you’re interested in joining our team, give us a call at 973.328.0050 or visit our website to download an application.