As the world is looking for means of sustainable energy and for ways to eliminate carbon in the environment, people have invented electric cars. Public use of electric cars took quite some time, as the manufacturers continuously searched for ways to make it run like any fuel-powered cars. Now, electric cars are everywhere and car companies have made stylish designs and features, making it a car of choice for some people.
Electric vehicles have been used as loading and freight equipment and public transport, such as trains and trucks. Yes, electric trucks are also starting to have a noticeable share of the new truck market, and here are the reasons why:
- Reduce emissions
Electric cars have been reported to have about 40% lesser emissions than the fuelled ones. Electric trucks are not far from matching this emission level. And because global warming is a big issue that is greatly considered by almost all countries, reducing emission levels is actually a very promising start. Some statistics have noted that trucks contribute more than 50% of the total transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Imagine how much gas emissions are reduced by using electric trucks for transporting goods and services, especially that trucks are a necessity and it keeps the supply chain going.
- Reduce noise pollution
Combustion from engines is contributing greatly to noise pollution especially in the urban areas and it has become a major concern. Electric trucks and cars are a great solution since they run without the noise of combustion.
- Low cost
The cost of operating an electric truck is significantly lower compared to diesel heavy goods trucks due to high efficiency and low component-counts. The cost of maintaining an electric truck is also much lower than a diesel engine-driven truck.
However promising an electric truck may seem, it has a lot of limitations that can’t simply be ignored:
- Not for long-haul. Range limitation is actually a main issue among electric trucks. Heavy trailers and loads can be very demanding and may drain the battery easily. Once it happens, you may need to recharge and wait until your truck is ready to roll again.
- Charging. And yes, before your truck battery gets empty, you need to recharge it, just like a fuel-driven truck needs to gas up. However, charging stations are not as abundant as gasoline stations, and this may pose some serious problems when you get drained in the middle of nowhere. And of course, charging time is also a challenge. The longer the range, the bigger the battery, and bigger batteries need longer time to charge. This consumes your business time, and in business, time spent unproductively is considered a loss.
- Insurance. Only a few vehicle insurance companies are willing to insure electric trucks at this time. And the cost is also higher compared to traditional vehicles.
- Choices. There are only a few manufacturers of electric trucks at this time. It is also more expensive upfront. Example, the cost of a Peterbilt semi truck for sale that’s fuel-driven can be $30,000.00 lower than the electric ones but is more road worthy or efficient in terms of range.
But a lot of truck manufacturing companies are seriously considering creating more electric models and improving their limitations. In the days that come, these companies will be able to address the current problems of electric trucks, as the world is in dire need of a more cost-efficient and sustainable way of transportation of goods and services.