We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Now is the time to electrify
PERSPECTIVE

Now is the time to electrify

The threat of climate change and improvements to alternative fuel technology are paving the way to get more electric trucks on the road.

December 13, 2021
David Maloney
No Comments

We’ve been hearing a lot in the news lately about electric vehicles. So, why the big push all of a sudden?

It really comes down to a matter of timing. We’ve reached the point where necessity and available technology have converged to create a clear path to an electric future where our nation’s vehicles are concerned.

That need may be even greater with trucks than with other vehicles. Trucks carry 72.5% of all freight moved in the U.S., according to the American Trucking Associations. That adds up to nearly 12 billion tons transported annually.

And the number of trucks on our roads is growing by the day. These past few decades have seen the growth of imports to West Coast ports that require cross-country transport. E-commerce has contributed greatly to this demand. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there are about 13 million trucks of all classes on our roads today. That’s up from 10.7 million in 2010, 8 million in 2000, and 6 million in 1990.

Numerous studies show that the burning of fossil fuels has contributed to climate change. Most of today’s trucks run on diesel, making them a significant source of climate- and health-threatening pollution. The burning of diesel fuel releases seven times the amount of nitrogen dioxide produced by the gasoline that powers most automobiles.

However, now we have affordable alternatives to the internal combustion engine. Advances in battery technologies now make it possible to use electric vehicles for long-distance transport. The newly passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also earmarks $7.5 billion to build a network of charging stations.

Additionally, there is now political will. The recent COP26 conference in Scotland resulted in a number of significant cooperative antipollution measures, including one in which 15 countries—Canada and Mexico among them—agreed to work toward 100% zero-emission new truck and bus sales by 2040. Although the U.S. did not sign that specific pledge, two of the nation’s Big Three automakers, Ford and GM, say they will phase out production of gas- and diesel-powered models in favor of electric vehicles (EVs).

While these are welcome changes for our planet, I do realize that the transition will take time. We don’t have the capacity with our existing solar panels, windmills, and other green technologies to produce all of the electricity needed for EVs and the rest of our world’s power needs. Some power will have to come from fossil fuels for a while yet. In the meantime, we need to throw our EV initiatives into high gear, building out the infrastructure that will take us into a cleaner, greener future.

Trucking
KEYWORDS American Trucking Associations (ATA)
  • Related Articles

    Transporeon Group Says the Time to Go Out to Bid for New Transportation Contracts is Now

    Now is the time to digitize your supply chain

    If your company has not embraced supply chain digital transformation, now is the time

David maloney headshot
David Maloney is group editorial director of CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly.

Recent Articles by David Maloney

Is your data factual?

’Tis the season to be patient

Managing supply chains in a time of runaway inflation: interview with Paul Lord

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Survey: most Americans unaware that truckers face shortage of parking spaces

  • Best practices in logistics sustainability

  • Supply chain executives not yet seeing expected results from technology investments

  • Postal Service plans to seize items mailed with fake stamps

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing