Electric Class 8 vehicles are likely to make an appearance in the North American and European longhaul markets around 2020 or 2021, Thomas said. “Initially, this will be at very low volume but may begin to register from around 2025 as [electric] truck purchase costs begin to decline due to battery improvements.”
Cummins, a major supplier of diesel and natural gas engines for the trucking industry, is working on a plug-in hybrid driveline, which provides greater range capability than that of a full-battery electric vehicle.
“A downsized engine acts as a generator to supply power to the vehicle, and this enables the vehicle to switch between battery-*only power, diesel engine power or a blend of engine and battery power,” Thomas said.
Peterbilt is working with strategic partners to develop several electric and hybrid-electric powertrain configurations.
“Depending on market acceptance, some of the technologies can be ready within the next few years,” Kahn said.
Given current technology, longhaul customers most likely will benefit from a hybrid configuration, which uses a smaller motor generator and battery pack to provide up to 5% driving benefit with traffic stop/start and a quieter last-mile delivery, Kahn said.