It was previously thought semi truck driving would be one of the last areas of the economy to turn electric. Semi's have to be powerful, they have to travel long distances, and they need to work in all weather conditions. Thinking has changed.
Economics Are Driving A Shift
It's not climate that's driving the shift towards electrified trucking; it's economics. Most modern semi-trucks are diesels, and the average running costs (which include fuel, maintenance, insurance, and repairs) is about $180,000 per year. That leaves a lot to be desired. And electric vehicles have a solution.
Electric vehicles, largely due to high battery costs, have higher upfront costs. However, they save money with lower fuel costs, and simpler engines that mean less maintenance and less repairs. Businesses, more so than people, are concerned with the total cost of ownership rather than the initial cost. That could give electric vehicles an edge.
2019 Is The Year
Of course, right now there is a serious shortage of electric semis on the market. That is changing fast. 2019 will see several major automakers bring electric semi's to market. The most obvious is the Tesla Semi, which claims a range of up to 800 kilometers and 30 minute solar-powered charging. If these claims are true, they would mark a massive accomplishment on what is arguably electric vehicles two largest areas of weakness.
However, Tesla is hardly alone. Established semi truck producers like MAN (owned by Volkswagen), Volvo, and Daimler have all indicated they will bring an electric semi to market in 2019. The semi's have varying ranges and prices, but each one presents a legitimate competitor in the hauling industry.
Start-ups like Thor Trucks also aims to bring a 500 kilometer semi to market in 2019. And Nikola Motors has plans for a fuel cell semi with around 2,000 kilometers of range in 2019 as well. With all these and more planned, the take-over of the hauling industry by the electric semi seems poised to have begun in 2019.