5 Questions Answered About Electrifying Trucks

As part of its effort to reduce air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, California is pursuing aggressive policies to promote clean trucks. The state already requires that by , all new cars and other light-duty vehicles sold in the state must be zero emission. Its powerful Air Resources Board has adopted rules requiring that most trucks be zero emission by , and is now proposing that all trucks sold by must be zero emission. The Conversation asked a panel of transportation experts from the University of California, Davis what&#;s involved in such a rapid transition.

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1. Why is California targeting medium- and heavy-duty trucks?

Although diesel engines are valuable for moving heavy loads, they also are major polluters. Diesel trucks account for one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions and about half of conventional air pollution from transportation in U.S. cities.

Pollutants in diesel exhaust include nitrogen oxides, fine particulates and numerous cancer-causing compounds. Since many disadvantaged communities are located near highways and industrial centers, their residents are especially affected by diesel truck pollution. Two regions in California &#; the Central Valley and Los Angeles-Long Beach &#; have some of the dirtiest air in the U.S., so the state has placed particular emphasis on cutting diesel use.

Almost all diesel fuel in the U.S. is used in trucks, not in passenger vehicles.

2. Are zero-emission trucks ready to go?

To a degree, yes. Some new models, mainly powered by batteries but some by hydrogen fuel cells, are available on the market, and more are being announced almost daily.

But the production volumes are still small, and there are many variations of truck models needed for very diverse applications, from delivering mail locally and plowing snow to hauling goods cross-country. Many of these needs cannot be met with currently offered zero-emission trucks.

Another hurdle is that new electric truck models have higher purchase prices than comparable diesel trucks. However, as the market for zero-emission trucks grows, economies of scale should bring these costs down significantly. We already see this happening with zero-emission cars and light-duty trucks.

The total cost of ownership for zero-emission trucks, which includes the purchase price, fuel costs and maintenance, is already competitive in some applications with conventional diesel trucks. One example is trucks used for local goods delivery by companies like Amazon, UPS and FedEx. This stage is also known as last-mile delivery &#; getting a product to a buyer&#;s door.

These trucks are typically driven less than 150 miles per day, so they don&#;t need large battery packs. Their lower energy costs and reduced maintenance needs often offset their higher purchase costs, so owners save money on them over time.

Our studies indicate that by and especially by , many applications for battery trucks, and perhaps hydrogen fuel cell trucks, will have competitive or even lower total costs of ownership than comparable diesel trucks. That&#;s especially true because of California subsidies and incentives, such as the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, which reduces the cost of new electric trucks and buses. And the state&#;s Low Carbon Fuel Standard greatly reduces the cost of low-carbon fuels and electricity for truck and bus fleets.

Zeem Solutions CEO Paul Gioupis poses in one of his company&#;s vehicles. Zeem, based in Inglewood, California, rents fleets of zero-emission trucks, vans and shuttle buses to other companies for a flat monthly fee. (Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)

The market in California is already reacting to these policy signals and is developing quickly. In the past year, there has been a large increase in sales of last-mile electric delivery trucks, and companies have stepped up their pledges to procure such vehicles.

Over 150 zero-emission truck models are commercially available and eligible for state incentive funding. They range from large pickup trucks to heavy-duty tractor units for tractor-trailer combinations.

3. Is there enough charging infrastructure to support all these vehicles?

Providing near-zero-carbon electricity for EVs and hydrogen for fuel cells, and expanding charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, is just as important as getting zero-emission trucks on the roads.

Fleet owners will need to install chargers that can charge their battery-powered trucks overnight, or sometimes during the day. These stations may require so much power that utilities will need to install additional hardware to bring electricity from the grid to the stations to meet potentially high demands at certain times.

This video from the utility Southern California Edison shows some of the steps involved in electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets.

Fuel cell trucks will require hydrogen stations installed either at fleet depots or public locations. These will allow fast refueling without high instantaneous demands on the system. But producing the hydrogen will require electricity, which will put an additional burden on the electric system.

Expanding charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure is just as important as getting zero-emission trucks on the roads.

Presently there are few public or private charging or hydrogen stations for truck fleets in California. But the California Public Utility Commission has allowed utilities to charge their customers to install a significant number of stations throughout the state. And the U.S. Department of Energy recently allocated $8 billion for construction of hydrogen hubs &#; networks for producing, processing, storing and delivering clean hydrogen &#; across the country.

Despite these efforts, the rollout of charging and hydrogen infrastructure will likely slow the transition to zero-emission trucks, especially long-haul trucks.

4. Who would be affected by a diesel truck ban?

California&#;s rules will affect both truck manufacturers and truck users. The state&#;s Advanced Clean Trucks rule, adopted in , requires the sale of increasing percentages of zero emission trucks starting in . By , 40% to 75% of all trucks, depending on the truck type, must be zero emission.

A new proposal scheduled for adoption in early , the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, would require fleets with over 50 trucks to purchase an increasing number of zero-emission trucks over time, with the requirement that all truck sales and purchases be zero emission by .

These two policies would work together. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule ensures that zero-emission trucks will become available to fleets, and the Advanced Clean Fleets rule would give truck manufacturers confidence that the zero-emission trucks they produce will find buyers.

These two rules are the most ambitious in the world in accelerating a transition to zero-emission trucks.

5. Are other states emulating California?

Yes, there is strong interest in many other states in electrifying trucking. Oregon, Washington, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have already adopted the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, and others are in the process of doing so. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have agreed to work together to foster a self-sustaining market for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

We expect that transitioning to zero-emission truck fleets will require strong policy support at least until the s and perhaps longer. The transition should become self-sufficient in most cases as production scales up and fleets adapt their operations, resulting in lower costs. This could be soon, especially with medium-duty trucks.

Converting large long-haul trucks will be especially challenging because they need large amounts of onboard energy storage and benefit from rapid refueling. Fuel cell systems with hydrogen may make the most sense for many of these vehicles; fleets will ultimately decide which technologies are best for them.

The transition to zero-emission trucks will be disruptive for many fleets and businesses, and will require government support during the early years of the transition. Overall, though, we believe prospects are bright for zero-emission trucking, with enormous clean air and climate benefits, and eventually, cost savings for truck owners.

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We get a lot of questions about electric vehicles, and we thought we'd collect and answer them here.

1. Is an electric car really less polluting?

Yes. Over its entire life cycle, in other words, from manufacture to end-of-life, an electric vehicle will emit up to 80% fewer GHGs than a gasoline-powered car. At the time of manufacture, the plug-in vehicle has a higher environmental impact. However, at the end of their life, electric vehicles have a much better environmental record than gasoline-powered vehicles, not only in terms of GHG emissions, but also in terms of human health, ecosystem quality and fossil fuel resource conservation.

Even in regions where electricity grids are powered by fossil fuels, electric vehicles are still less polluting than gasoline-powered vehicles. It's the petrol consumption of a gasoline-powered vehicle that weighs heavily in its environmental balance sheet.

Of course, the most environmentally friendly means of transportation remains walking, cycling or using public transport whenever possible.

Useful resources:

• Environmental Impact of Electric Cars Over Their Entire Life Cycle
• See our EV Environmental Impact section
• See the detailed data sheet for each vehicle in our catalog to see the amount of CO2 saved per 20,000 km compared with a gasoline-powered vehicle of similar size.

2. Does an electric vehicle cost more than a gasoline-powered vehicle?

When we compare the total cost of ownership (purchase + use), the electric vehicle wins hands down. According to a study by Clean Energy Canada, the savings are most impressive in Québec: the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle over 10 years (i.e. all costs related to the initial purchase of the vehicle, its maintenance and use) is up to 47% less than that of a gasoline-powered vehicle.

This difference is due to the lower energy and maintenance costs of an electric vehicle.

For example, it costs around $2 to drive an electric car for 100 km, and you don't have to worry about oil changes.

Useful resources:

3. How long is the waiting list for an electric car?

As with conventional vehicles, delivery times vary greatly depending on the model and options required. Some manufacturers manage to deliver within a few weeks, while for other EVs, the wait can be counted in months. At present, several brands have vehicles in stock and can deliver them very quickly, which means they can still benefit from the full financial aid available until the end of .

The market for used EVs is increasingly well-stocked, making it possible to obtain a vehicle in a matter of days.

According to our latest Running Electric survey conducted in November , 46% of respondents obtained their electric vehicle in less than 6 months.

4. Is the range of electric vehicles sufficient?

Yes. You need to choose a model that meets your needs from the wide variety of plug-in vehicles available in Quebec today.

According to Clean Energy Canada, given that Canadian drivers travel less than 60 kilometers a day, and that the average range of 100% electric vehicles currently on sale exceeds 450 kilometers, this is more than enough to cover the majority of daily trips, even in winter.

Useful resources:

• See the Range and Charging section on our website
• Our Plug-in Vehicle Catalog displays the range of all EVs available on the market

5. What is the range of an electric vehicle in winter?

Whether gasoline-powered or electric, vehicles consume more fuel in winter. Electric range can vary from 10% to 40%, depending on vehicle model, weather conditions, use of a heat pump and driving style. To maximize range, several techniques can be used, such as eco-driving, scheduled charging sessions and energy recovery.

On the other hand, the electric car offers undeniable advantages in winter. Since you don't start an electric vehicle, but rather switch it on, starting problems are virtually non-existent with an EV, even in extreme cold. The car can also be preheated using electricity from the grid without consuming battery power. This increases the battery's performance while enhancing passenger comfort with a warm interior.

Useful resources:

6. How long does an electric vehicle battery last?

The warranty on an electric vehicle's battery is usually 8 years, but in many cases it can last up to 15 years or 500,000 km. This means that it is rare for a battery to have to be replaced during the vehicle's lifetime.

A battery can have a second life, for example as an energy store, and then a third life, with up to 95% of its contents recycled here in Québec by Lithion.

End-of-life electric vehicle batteries are therefore not only reusable, but also recyclable.

Useful resources:

7. What if I need to charge my car on the road?

First and foremost, 80% to 90% of charging is done at home, meaning that charging on the road is fairly limited for the majority of EV drivers.

Secondly, the charging network in Québec, particularly the fast-charging network, is expanding rapidly. Most of the territory is already effectively covered, with over 10,000 public charging stations in Québec, including more than 1,200 fast charging stations and 300 Tesla Superchargers.

Finally, the number of fast-charging stations is set to continue rising: by , one public charging station will be available for every 16 electric vehicles on the road, compared with the current ratio of one station for every 23 electric vehicles (source: MELCCFP).

Useful resources:

8. Could Hydro-Québec's power grid run out of electricity to charge the entire electric vehicle fleet?

Hydro-Québec relies on a diversification of renewable energy sources, an improvement in the capacity of existing dams and better demand management (particularly during peak periods) to meet future energy needs without having to build new hydroelectric infrastructure.

Nevertheless, it's important for EV drivers to take a few simple steps to reduce their consumption during peak periods. Using the vehicle's dashboard or mobile app, you can program charging times to avoid peak periods, as recommended by Hydro-Québec, particularly during cold winters. You can even earn cash rewards for optimizing your electricity consumption (Hydro-Québec dynamic pricing and the Hilo program). Avoiding peak hours helps reduce pressure on the power grid during periods of high demand and contributes to the energy transition.

Useful resources:

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