Legislation must address changes to vehicle safety inspections, requirements for vehicle operation, and updates necessary for widespread vehicle connectivity that would allow these autonomous units to communicate with other vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure. Probably not, though time will only tell as the technology keeps improving. Rather than its internal-combustion engine, there's a battery-electric powertrain with a 550-kWh battery pack. Yet, Daimler has spread its electric truck portfolio out. What’s your take? We worked with a driver who’d already started to go deaf and who was missing calls from his dispatcher to grab trailers due the noise of his diesel-powered tractor.
Through this partnership, the truck OE plans to have SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks on the road—with no humans in the cab—by 2024. “This, in turn, has likely hindered the development and adoption of AV (autonomous vehicle) and ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) technologies in the trucking industry.”. There’s been a lot of attention paid to the electrification of trucks of late, especially the new Nikola Class 8 concept vehicle, set to be officially unveiled in December this year, trolley-like systems now being tested in the U.S. and Europe, as well as electrified medium-duty models such as the all-electric Fuso eCanter coming the U.S. market in 2017. Those firms keeping diesels around too long may find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. In converting to electric, three major cost elements are relevant. Automated vehicles won’t be proven for widespread adoption by fleets until proper legislation is passed at the federal level to oversee and manage vehicle testing. In other words they get the truck charged and back to work faster, more hours of the day, displacing even more gallons of diesel fuel, on which they save up to 90% by using electricity.

So, the per-truck cost to purchase a Tier 4 diesel terminal truck can be up to $125,000, depending on whom you are and where you buy them. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. The per-truck purchase price of our all-electric units start as low as $199,950 and go up to $284,950 per tractor, depending on the fleet’s needs and how we build the trucks to meet those needs. That’s 15,000 gallons per truck, per year. First came the electric Freightliner box truck, and now we have the semi truck. For example, California just passed SB 32, which paves the way for continued emissions reductions – specifically for “greenhouse” gases (GHG) – to some 40% below 1990s level by 2030. If and when autonomous trucks have advanced and are deemed operable without that individual directly monitoring the vehicle, it would not be legal to do so. Each of the eCascadias will operate in Southern California by the end of the year. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is currently working to develop and test new inspection tools that support this next-generation technology. Look for the first ones in Southern California. So for all-electric models, three key cost components are involved: the truck itself; the re-charging system on the truck; and the electrical infrastructure to support charging. Navistar recently partnered and bought a stake in TuSimple, a company focused on developing technology for fully autonomous trucks. Additionally, these components and systems require connectivity to communicate with one another. At $3, $4, and $5 per gallon, the diesel fuel cost alone is $45,000, $60,000, and $75,000, respectively. The Tesla Semi is an all-electric battery-powered Class 8 semi-truck in development by Tesla, Inc. Two concept vehicles were unveiled in November 2017, and production in 2021 is planned.

Here are his thoughts: Why should a fleet should consider switching to all-electric yard tractors versus diesel ones? Does it hold up as well under the daily pounding yard tractors endure? Are drivers accepting of such all-electric models? © CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Now, those maintenance savings consider Tier 3 and older terminal truck models. So, our baseline pricing includes both truck and standard charging system. BYD. If every manufacturer is developing and implementing their own designs, it becomes increasingly difficult for spec’ing technologies to ensure seamless integration and operation. Mike Saxton. So, our trucks at purchase can be two times what a diesel-powered one costs at the point of purchase. Remember, too, that late adopters will have older, dirtier trucks and may be not be allowed to operate at some of their sites – remember there are residential neighborhoods near which many must operate – and on which they’ll have to spend more to maintain.
Penske also took delivery of one of the first eM2 box trucks, the other electric truck from Daimler's Freightliner division. I got a chance recently to pick his brain about how electric trucks – even all-electric yard mules – can make solid fiscal sense for a fleet over the long term. It's called the eCascadia and it's based on the common Cascadia semi. In short, the U.S. isn’t turning back from truck emission standards – and it’s implementing new ones for GHGs now as well. One thing is certain: the commercial vehicle industry will continue down the road of autonomous truck development and adoption through partnerships like Navistar and TuSimple. In our case, we sell and service the first two while the customer provides the third. Specifically, it stagnates the deployment of trucks for interstate driving, which is ultimately the best use case for autonomous trucks since there are fewer obstacles and more consistent speeds achieved on U.S. highways compared to city settings. Proactively planning for the next generation of commercial vehicles is imperative. Instead, the first eCascadias will be part of a "Freightliner Innovation Fleet" before the truck enters series production in late 2021. These trucks do take a pounding so that’s a great question. From there, the industry must address the eventual operation of these vehicles on U.S. roadways. That service is usually already available at most sites. The electric semi isn't exactly going into production just yet, however. They switch to save money with a better truck; getting the job done while eliminating diesel fuel and emissions. This is just the latest of recent industry commitments in the development and adoption of autonomous vehicles. When you get to Tier 4 compliant engines, the industry seems only to be starting to understand they have dramatically higher costs, especially in terminal trucks. Then the customer handles establishing the electrical service out to where they want to park, plug-in, and re-charge their tractors. But when you think about the TCO for each – especially in terms of fuel, maintenance and other items – all of a sudden, pure-electric terminal trucks become very, very compelling price wise. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. Instead, the Semi has been used to deliver other Tesla vehicles and haul between the Gigafactory and various places. The 2020 Toyota Highlander gets a new platform... 2020 Hyundai Sonata brings arresting style... Semi has been used to deliver other Tesla vehicles. That’s why we believe shifting to electricity will drive a new wave of winners and losers in transportation, logistics, and more specifically in our case, fleets managing container handling operations. What are the benefits? The January 2020 American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) report, “Redefining the Role of Government Activities in Automated Trucking,” looked to assess the current landscape of autonomous truck testing in the U.S., highlighting a need for overarching guidance at the federal level to ensure technology adoption can move forward. How might a roadside inspection proceed when a trooper pulls over an automated truck? Of course, that would also lower the cost of driver turnover. Talk about the durability of an electric yard mule.

For instance, proposed legislation in Minnesota suggests a human operator be on board a highly automated truck to monitor the automated system and to intervene and take manual control if necessary.

So, the per-truck cost to purchase a Tier 4 diesel terminal truck can be up to $125,000, depending on whom you are and where you buy them. Yet as Saxton’s commentary points out, there are many applications where switching to electric power today can make good monetary and performance sense. Four independent motors provide maximum power and acceleration and require the lowest energy cost per mile. Finally, many feel that with the relatively low diesel fuel prices we’re experiencing today that electric trucks, much less yard tractors, just don’t make enough fiscal sense right now. As it relates to technical standards, this should also address the current discrepancies with varied types of components such as sensors, cameras, lidar and radar, along with software used to monitor and control these systems. And, sometimes, they cost less at purchase as well. This is the idea behind Navistar’s plans anyway, in which 95% of usage would be on highways between distribution centers, in the Southwest U.S.