Commercial Truck Fleets Continue to Add Green Vehicles
A number of commercial truck fleet operators have been adding more environment-friendly vehicles to their existing fleets. Trucking companies are giving a higher priority to sustainability goals than ever before. Alternative energy vehicles that include gas-hybrids, autogas, propane, CNG, and all-electric vehicles can be seen more often in many truck fleets.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Government Assistance
The advantages of alternative energy vehicles are not just limited to the fulfilment of sustainability goals. These vehicles use greener sources of energy that are typically cheaper in terms of costs. State and local government also chips in by offering rebates and stepping up other sustainability efforts to make the transition easier for the fleets. Without this governmental assistance, going the green route would not make any sense financially and it almost does not now. But because of the positive publicity and governmental help, trucking companies are paying attention to this reality. They would be able to do more though on the green front if the economy was stronger.
Cheap & Abundant
All-Electric Trucks
Among various alternative energy vehicles, all-electric trucks are becoming quite popular. These trucks typically generate zero tailpipe emissions. Advancements in technology are enabling these trucks to operate for a hundred miles or more on a single charge. Innovation is the key here.
Coal and Trucks
A company with a large truck fleet can potentially save hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel each year by adding 50 to 100 electric trucks to its fleet. Several large companies have already deployed all-electric trucks for daily deliveries, and these vehicles have proved their robustness and resilience on the roads and met the demands of the industry. These would be used more if the coal industry was healthier since much of America's electricity is supplied via coal power.