Electric Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Though larger EVs such as freight trucks and buses have been slower than electric passenger cars to appear, change is on the horizon. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute notes that today's electric semi-trucks can travel more than 500 miles on one charge, though long-haul routes will require charging stops along the way. Swappable batteries could resolve that issue for both heavy-duty trucks and personal EVs, though the global resource consumption implications of increased battery production remain, as do infrastructure concerns relating to heavier vehicle weights. Another concern is the cost of electric trucks — up to three times as much as diesel ones — though in November 2023, Mack Trucks introduced a subscription program for its medium-duty electric truck, with the option to purchase the truck at the end of the plan.

Other large vehicles are going electric, with Portland unveiling its first electric garbage truck in 2023 and Amtrak debuting its first electric bus route in Seattle. The Chicago Transit Authority currently operates 25 electric buses, with a commitment to fully electrify its fleet by 2040. The electrification of large and heavy-duty vehicles has begun, and planners must be prepared to accommodate these changes in both urban and rural areas.