The Race To Zero: Commercial Vehicle Edition
A big part of the new White House's agenda will be electrification initiatives across the board, especially with commercial vehicles. In fact, The Biden Administration is pushing for net-zero emissions by 2050, with intentions to have the entire US government fleet transition to electric first.
While the the drive to electrification among commercial vehicle manufacturers has been in motion even before any of this, Americans companies are ramping up their production of electric work vans, trucks, and semis in the race to zero...
GM & Navistar
GM, Navistar, and OneH2 are collaborating for a hydrogen-fuel semi truck, which is making its way to customers by 2024. GM’s Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes operate with high energy density and a per-mile cost comparable to diesel, in some instances. Other features unique to the Hydrotec Fuel Cell Power Cubes include faster refueling, scalable production for other transportation applications, the ability to work in harsh conditions, and the ability to fit Class 5,6,7, and 8 trucks.
Tesla
It should come as no surprise that Tesla is getting into the electric semi-truck scene. Rumors have it that Tesla is currently testing high-density 2170 L batteries in four new Semi models at its Nevada Gigafactory, against road, durability, and cold-weather. The new models spotted also seem to come with a more streamlined, smoother look. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, the lighter electric motors, and the need for less maintenance would set these semis apart from its diesel competitors in the future.
Volvo
Volvo’s zero-emission VNR Electric regional haul trucks just finished highway testing and are currently opening orders. The project is part of their LIGHTS initiative with South California roadways and incorporates the whole transport solution, from end to end, including charging companies. The trucks run on lithium-ion batteries, which are designed to mitigate the impact that cold harsh weather usually has on these types of power supplies. Volvo is including its preventative maintenance and scheduled maintenance repairs, and the expected life cycle of the batteries is at least eight years.
Rivian and Amazon
Amazon’s order of 100,000 of Rivian’s all-electric delivery trucks certainly helped put the startup on the map, not to mention push Amazon’s drive towards a net-zero carbon goal by 2040. Rivian is expected to have 10,000 of these vehicles on the road by 2022, and the fully electric delivery vehicles are already road-testing in LA, the first of 15 cities it will eventually expand to. The vans can go for 150 miles on a single charge and come with an artificially-created sound similar to combustion engines that act as an alert to pedestrians, since electric vehicles are known for their quietly running engines.
