Long-haul sustainability: why electric trucks are going the distance
The trucking industry hasn’t exactly been hurtling towards electrification. For one, it’s one of the hardest sectors to electrify. And heavy-duty vehicles need heavy-duty solutions.
But transition in the trucking industry has started faster than many expected. Unlike other sectors that were left on the back foot with the pace of change, it’s the trucking companies themselves driving this transformation.
Smaller battery electric trucks have been on our roads for a while. But the logistics sector is about more than just short haul. Which is why truck manufacturers are turning their sights to middle- and long-haul options.
At this year’s IAA Transportation Hub in Hanover (aka the biggest trucking show in the world), electrification and decarbonization were common themes – and there was hardly a diesel guzzler in sight. Daimler, DAF, Scania, Nikola, MAN, Quantron and Ford all unveiled new electric vehicles at the event. Volvo was so confident in electric, it didn’t bring a single fossil fuel vehicle to the exhibition.
Another common theme was just how quiet these new electric big rigs can be. According to Volvo Trucks, an electric vehicle reduces decibels for local communities by 50%. This noise reduction benefits the driver too, creating a better work environment, reducing fatigue and boosting handling and performance.
Electric trucks play a prominent role in mitigation pathways that limit global warming to below 1.5 °C. The more mainstream they are, the closer we get to that target. Looks like we’re all in it for the long haul…