This article was published in the April 2020 edition of NTEA News.
Work truck industry professionals gained insights into the latest productivity options and alternative fuel and technology implementation during Green Truck Summit. Held March 3 during Work Truck Week 2020, the Summit addressed vocational truck technology advancements; meeting fleet sustainability targets; leveraging alternative fuel and technology offerings; pros and cons of onboard vehicle energy solutions; and legacy fleet evolution. Sponsored by Freightliner Trucks, this year’s event featured a keynote and five general sessions.
Keynote address
Sean Waters, vice president, product compliance and regulatory affairs for Daimler Trucks North America, gave this year’s keynote address. He shared vital factors in moving toward better, more sustainable solutions, stating, “Over 90% of our goods today are transported on a truck. They’re essential for everything we do — the backbone of our economy.”
Sean Waters, vice president, product compliance and regulatory affairs for Daimler Trucks North America, gave the keynote address at 2020 Green Truck Summit.
With over 150 years of experience in transportation, Daimler has committed to decarbonizing commercial transport. Production plants are set to be carbon-controlled by 2022, and the company is working with suppliers to help them obtain carbon neutrality. “Inaction is not an option — our customers demand we take action. Society does, too, and frankly, we demand it,” Waters stated.
When it comes to technology, the industry is faced with options — diesel, battery electric and fuel cell hydrogen. Remarkably, diesel has made significant strides in the transition to green energy and will likely be present for years to come.
So, how do we get to a future of battery electric fleets? Waters likes to think of it as a three-legged stool — there needs to be a product, the right ecosystem (including infrastructure) and proper policies and regulations in place.
First, the product. Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation partnered with a leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation to develop an enhanced, production-ready version of its all-electric MT50e truck chassis for 2020. According to Waters, “It features an efficient and powerful battery system from Proterra, with 226kWh of energy capacity and an all-electric, zero-emission drive system.”
He argued the product is the most important part of the equation, as the most controlled aspect, and stressed the importance of discussing customer needs when creating electric vehicles. “Co-creation is the key to success as we’re not designing these products for us, but instead the customers,” he said.
The second factor is an e-mobility ecosystem. Infrastructure is a question to be solved. Right now, there are limitations with truck size and disruptions in charging stations. Waters stressed the need for charger standardization, as electric commercial vehicles require a different level of charge, which isn’t always readily available.
Last is policy and regulations. Without government help, acceleration into a sustainable future can’t happen; action needs to be taken to balance total cost of ownership for customers — which remains a prime purchase motivator. According to Waters, “An easy way to balance this is the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on every new commercial truck. Currently, buyers pay a 12% excise tax.” Right now, the money is used to help highways, but as a matter of public policy, it’s questionable whether FET is the right type of tax to have. Waters said, “The reality is, FET makes it more expensive to buy a new truck, creating a higher gap between diesel and electric trucks.” He suggested removing FET on commercial trucks for the next decade to help boost the electric vehicle market.
Waters closed by emphasizing the importance of global CO2 standardization, as emissions aren’t just a domestic issue. “If we want faster deployment of electric vehicles, we need to figure out a way to standardize our regulations.”
2020 Green Truck Summit
General sessions
Five general sessions followed the keynote address. The first, How Truck Technology Advances Will Impact Industry Practices, provided a forward look at work truck technology, highlighting advanced technologies currently in development and future possibilities. Presenters included Bill Combs, vice president, connected vehicle strategy & experimentation for Penske Transportation Solutions; Michelle Moody, marketing director at Ford Commercial Solutions; Nick Rini, director of engineering at FCCC; and Rick Sapienza, director, clean transportation program at NC Clean Energy Technology Center.
During Meeting Program Sustainability Targets: Successes and Challenges of New Equipment Offerings, fleet leaders and industry experts shared opportunities and obstacles to success. Todd Carlson, principal manager – fleet asset management for Southern California Edison; Bill Van Amburg, executive vice president of CALSTART; and Mark Wagner, product planning manager at Kenworth Truck Company, revealed fleet management strategies to help achieve a more sustainable transportation profile.
The next session, Achieving Legacy Fleet Sustainability, highlighted ways to overcome obstacles to transitioning a legacy fleet. Erin Gilchrist, director, fleet at Safelite; and Joseph Moser II, fleet manager at Commonwealth Edison, explained key challenges, such as fluctuations in OEM offerings and support, and how to work around them.
During Alt Fuels and Technology: Evolution Toward Zero Emissions, experts discussed opportunities for fleet operators to take advantage of unprecedented potential for continuous improvement given the introduction of renewable diesel, CNG and propane, as well as reductions in exhaust emissions from conventional power offerings. Dave Howell, deputy director of U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office; Michael McDonald, director, sustainability and government affairs at UPS; and Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of PERC, detailed how these elements — along with batteries, fuel cells and fundamental truck designs — are driving industry change.
The final Green Truck Summit general session — Powering Electric Drive: Batteries or Fuel Cells? — offered pros and cons of fuel cells and batteries. Presenters Tim Campbell, managing director of Campbells Consultancy; Bill Cherry, director of national accounts at Nikola Motor Company; and Abas Goodarzi, president and CEO of US Hybrid, shared their views on each alternative.
Save the date
Work Truck Week 2021 runs March 9–12 in Indianapolis. Sessions begin March 9, and the exhibit hall is open March 10–12. Sign up to receive email updates about the event, including when registration opens in the fall, at worktruckshow.com/2021.
See a full recap of the 20th anniversary Show, including photos, at worktruckshow.com/2020recap.