Electrification of Trucking
Electrified drivetrains, automated operation at off-peak hours, connected travel with drag reduction and energy sharing, and lightweight design of driverless tractors, are all features of electrified trucks that can contribute synergistically to a dramatic reduction of GHG and criteria emissions. To promote widespread adoption, and thus achieve the net-zero vision, the interaction among these features needs new research. Industry seeks knowledge of how customers and dealers will value the environmental benefits of electrified trucking, in addition to monetary and social benefits. Studies have already shown that the societal gains are greater than the social cost. Benefits depend on the number of operational electrified fleets in the network. While batteries can be used to electrify light vehicles and regional short-distance freight delivery trucks, long-haul heavy trucks may benefit more from fuel-cell and hydrogen fuel infrastructure technologies rather than batteries.
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