Fuel/Emissions

Context: Understanding electric trucks preview image Context: Understanding electric trucks article image

Context: Understanding electric trucks

Electric trucks seem to be all the rage today, just as natural gas was to be the industry's salvation just a few years back. There's not much excitement in natural gas today, though it remains a viable alternative fuel. Electric trucks, on the other hand, are just beginning their climb to prominence. Interest in electric trucks peaked in November with the world's first look at Tesla's Electric Semi. Whether Tesla can carry the torch for battery-powered heavy trucks remains to be seen, but Elon Musk isn't only player in the market. Transpower's electric Class 8 tractor uses a conventional drivetrain, but with a 400-horsepower electric motor. It has a range of up to 160 kilometers at full load. I drove a fully electric plug-in Transpower USA Class 8 tractor back in 2015. That truck had been in field tests at the port of Long Beach, California, for two years prior to that. The company made headlines recently announcing a partnership with Meritor that will make its technology commercially available in the spring of this year.
Chanje electric vans unveiled in U.S. preview image Chanje electric vans unveiled in U.S. article image

Chanje electric vans unveiled in U.S.

BROOKLYN, NY - Chanje is here. The Chinese-based vehicle manufacturer (pronounced "change") has officially unveiled its electric medium-duty panel van in Brooklyn, New York, with Ryder taking delivery of 125 units for its rental and leasing fleet. The initial rollout will be in key California markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, as well as New York and Chicago. Ryder will provide parts distribution, service and support. "All the trends in diesel are going in the wrong direction," said Chanje Chief Executive Officer Bryan Hansel, noting that diesel equipment is increasingly expensive to build, purchase, and maintain. China's demand for electric vehicles is expected to outpace North America's needs in coming years, but the U.S. market sets the highest bar for vehicle reliability and safety, and it is home to some of the largest delivery companies and consumer brands expected to use the vehicles, Hansel says. This is being developed as a "world" truck for markets here and elsewhere, and the company says it has invested about US $1 billion in the design and related tooling. But Canada's official rollout has to wait for now. "It's demand-driven. We're certainly going to be inquiring to see the uptake opportunity," Hansel said, referring to Canada as a parallel market to the U.S. "It seems like a natural progression."

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