DOE study finds clean trucks will be cost competitive in next decade

A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) revealed that clean trucks will become cheaper and more readily available in the next decade.

The study, published by the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said that improvements with zero emission vehicle and fuel technologies will make cost zero-emissions medium- and heavy-duty vehicles cost competitive with traditional diesel-powered combustion engine vehicles by 2035.

“DOE is showing a clear pathway for trucking companies to make the switch from diesel to electric that will help them cut costs and pollution for their customers while combatting climate change,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “The Biden Administration’s comprehensive approach is working to make clean transportation a reality—by reducing exposure to volatile fuel prices, investing in American manufacturing, and creating a national charging network to support more electric vehicles on the road.”

Currently, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles account for less than 5 percent of the vehicles on the road but produce over 20 percent of the emissions from the transportation sector. This accounts for more than one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Specifically, it says that the costs of zero-emission electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks will be the same, or lower, than those of diesel trucks. Battery electric trucks are expected to become cost-competitive for smaller trucks before 2030, while heavy trucks with less than 500 miles of range are projected to be cost-competitive by 2035. Also, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are expected to become cost-competitive for long-haul heavy-duty trucks with greater than 500-mile range by 2035.