Charging ahead?
The move toward electric trucks can be seen through several recent business announcements.
Volvo Trucks, Cummins, Nikola and Kodiak all leaned into the electric market in May.
Volvo to sell 1,000 electric trucks by 2030
Volvo Trucks intends to sell a record number of electric trucks to one of the world’s largest building-solution providers by 2030.
The Gothenburg, Sweden-based truck manufacturer has signed a letter of intent to sell 1,000 electric trucks to Holcim, according to a Volvo news release.
“Long-term collaboration and a strong commitment to really make a difference are essential for making big CO2 reductions a reality,” Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO Volvo Group, said in a statement. “I’m very proud of the partnership we have developed with Holcim and the results we are achieving together.”
Holcim, a global manufacturer of building solutions headquartered in Switzerland, will deploy these trucks across its operations in Europe.
The first 130 heavy electric Volvo FH and Volvo FM trucks are scheduled to be delivered to markets in France, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in the fourth quarter of 2023 and throughout 2024.
“The net-zero transition requires deep collaboration across value chains,” Jan Jenisch, chairman and CEO of Holcim, said in the statement. “We are excited to be partnering with Volvo to decarbonize our European operations logistics with electric fleets, advancing our goal to reach 30% of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks by 2030.”
As much as 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide could be saved annually by deploying the 1,000 electric trucks, according to Volvo.
In November 2022, Volvo announced a partnership with Pilot Co., for a charging network across the United States.
As part of this agreement, chargers would be located at Pilot and Flying J travel centers along transportation corridors and well-equipped to serve professional drivers. Customer needs, current and anticipated battery-electric truck density, and the availability of public funding to support infrastructure costs also will factor heavily in deciding the locations of the chargers.
Cummins to market Heliox EV chargers in North America
U.S. truck engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. has cut a deal with Dutch company Heliox to market electric vehicle chargers in North America.
The agreement will bring to market two charging options. One is a mobile 50 kilowatt DC electric vehicle charger, Mobile 50. The other is a stationary 180 kilowatt DC charging system, Flex 180.
The Mobile 50 plugs into 480V AC wall sockets. It can be used anywhere there is a compatible power source. It is portable and does not require fixed installation, which could save fleets money on infrastructure costs as they transition to battery electric vehicles.
The Flex 180 solution provides up to three dispensers capable of static, sequential and dynamic charging for optimal flexibility in charging for fleet customers. Dispensing options can come in both plug and pantograph options for transit bus customers. Pantograph chargers have arms that scissor from stationary masts to reach buses to charge them.
Both electric vehicle charger products are available through Cummins’ North America distribution network. Cummins Sales and Service North America will provide repairs and planned maintenance for the electric vehicle chargers, which it already does for power generation products and electric vehicle powertrains throughout its more than 180 service locations in North America.
“We have a storied history of building innovative partnerships that combine strengths to create incremental value for our customers. Our relationship with EV charging partners builds on this legacy, and we are excited to work together to better serve customers who rely on battery electric technology. It’s yet another step in our journey to Destination Zero,” Zach Gillen, general manager of Cummins Sales and Service North America, said in a statement shared by both companies. “Our collaboration with Heliox will deliver a reliable solution to support fleet customers in reaching their sustainability and emissions goals.”
USPS carrier orders Nikola hydrogen fuel cell EVs
Nikola is celebrating an order for 50 of its Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks.
The company making the order, Compton, Calif.-based AJR Trucking, is a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and a drayage carrier operating in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Deliveries of the trucks are expected in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, according to a Nikola news release.
Nikola Motor Co. and its Southern California dealer, Tom’s Truck Centers, have promised to support AJR Trucking in securing its voucher application to California Air Resource Board’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project program.
The companies expect to receive $270,000 per fuel cell electric truck in point-of-sale incentives. Nikola announced it had received approval for the program in February. Another $40,000 in federal tax credits is expected from the Inflation Reduction Act.
AJR Trucking and Nikola plan to find opportunities to deploy Nikola’s 10,000 psi (700 bar) mobile fueling solution at AJR Trucking properties in Compton, Calif., and Santa Clarita, Calif., to provide convenient and seamless fueling for the fuel cell electric vehicles. AJR Trucking expects the cost of hydrogen fuel delivered by Nikola to its terminals to be competitively priced, according to the news release.
Net of the various incentives, AJR Trucking anticipates the cost for its fuel cell electric vehicle fleet to be roughly the same as the cost to operate its existing fleet of trucks in its postal service and drayage operations.
“We are confident the future of trucking is zero-emissions, and based upon our operational needs, the Nikola Tre FCEVs were the only zero tailpipe emission vehicles that could meet our range, performance, and cost targets,” Jack Khudikyan, owner of AJR Trucking, said in the news release. “We are excited to be at the forefront of the deployment of this new technology and to be able to offer our customers zero-emissions freight solutions. We look forward to working with Nikola and USPS to integrate the (fuel cell electric vehicles) into our mail hauling operations starting in Southern Calif. and envision expanding the use of these trucks throughout our operations nationwide.”
AJR Trucking has hauled mail for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 30 years and is one of its 10 largest mail haulers, according to the news release. It has a fleet of more than 500 trucks. The company pioneered some of the first compressed natural gas trucks in operation for the U.S. Postal Service and in 2022 placed the largest order for Class 8 battery-electric vehicles from Kenworth to date.
Kodiak autonomous trucks go electric
For the first time, Kodiak Robotics has combined its self-driving technology with an electric truck, creating the first autonomous electric Class 8 truck.
According to a news release, Kodiak is upfitting a Peterbilt Model 579EV electric truck with the Kodiak Driver, the company’s self-driving technology. The Peterbilt 579EV is the second vehicle Kodiak is upfitting and includes fifth-generation sensors.
Kodiak claims the autonomous-electric Peterbilt 579EV can be recharged in three hours. The truck has a peak power rating of 670 horsepower.
However, the autonomous Peterbilt 579EV is not built for long-haul operations. It can only get up to 150 miles on a full charge, making the truck suitable for short haul and drayage operations. According to Kodiak, studies have demonstrated that autonomous technology enables a roughly 10% reduction in fuel consumption. Consequently, increased efficiency will help extend the range of electric vehicles.
“We believe that the future of trucking is the combination of electric and autonomous vehicles,” Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette said in a statement. “Given advancements in battery and fuel cell technologies, achieving zero-emission trucking will soon be within reach. Kodiak’s work on the Peterbilt Model 579EV will help us gain valuable experience in how to build autonomous electric vehicles, and help us realize that vision.
The autonomous Peterbilt 579EV is expected to be included in Kodiak’s fleet next year. LL