‘It Still Boggles My Mind’- Electric 18-Wheelers are Here and Even More Ridiculous Than the Cars

But while many people agree that electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of passenger vehicles, far fewer believe that the same technology can safely and efficiently be applied to semi trucks.

Some of the world’s largest motor vehicle manufacturers have pumped billions into the industry as nations like the US set goals to see half of all vehicles sold by 2030 be “zero-emissions vehicles,” per Al Jazeera.

According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, trucking is an integral part of the US economy, transporting over $10 billion of goods. However, it is also a source of pollution. 

On the other hand, there are electric semis. These offer a cleaner and more sustainable vehicle for truckers to use to transport goods long distances. They also offer reduced emissions and lower noise pollution, and they should lower operating costs over time.

It roughly costs $150,000 upfront to buy a diesel semi, compared to the $180,000 it costs to buy Tesla’s electric semi. However, it costs an average of $1.38 per mile to operate a diesel semi, whereas it costs $1.26 per mile to operate an electric semi.

China is expected to make $15 million and the whole of Europe is set to make $8 million, However, the US is set to only make $5 million, which will take the total revenue from electric semis to $31 million.

This includes emitting up to seven percent of the total greenhouse gases by humans in 2020.

Although these vehicles only make up 4% of the vehicle population, they use 44 billion gallons of fuel and emit 421 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Semi-Truck manufacturers have committed to targets which will see at least 30% of their new trucks being zero-emission vehicles, including fully electric models. 

However, there are also some cons. These are that they cost more to purchase, they have a limited range, as more batteries are needed due to their long-haul range, and there are infrastructure constraints.

Their futuristic semi-truck vehicle hit the market five years after it was first announced.

It can recharge up to 70% in 30 minutes and uses significantly less energy than a diesel-powered semi-truck.

This applies to PepsiCo, the soft drinks brand that has created drinks such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, and 7 Up. The company received a $31 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to begin using Tesla electric semis.

This wasn’t in one charge, as the truck had to be charged at one of the Tesla 750-kilowatt Megacharger, which is one of the fastest electric vehicle chargers available.

They have set a goal of having the 1.8 million commercial trucks currently on its roads switched to fully electric vehicles over the next two decades.

These have a battery capacity of 565 kWh and can travel up to 275 miles on a single charge. While this isn’t necessarily enough for some long-haul journeys, electric chargers are constantly being manufactured to decrease the time needed to charge the battery.

These vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and they have numerous benefits for human health and the environment.

Their report states, “Implementing zero-emission trucking could prevent 66,800 premature deaths, 1.75 million asthma attacks, and 8.5 million lost work days between 2020 and 2050—providing $735 billion in cumulative U.S. public health benefits.”

The EESI cites a 2021 study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab that suggests owners may experience “net savings of $200,000 over the semi-truck’s 15-year lifetime” due to various factors.

Fast-forward to 2023, and a similar study carried out by the NACFE found that the same vehicle’s traveling distance had more than doubled in the space of two years.

These vehicles may sound great on paper, but many experts in the field argue that there are far too many issues surrounding the use of electric semi-trucks to make them practical or even safe.

Short explained that after analyzing the research they collected, “it still boggles [his] mind” that anyone believes electric trucks should or even could completely replace the standard diesel-fueled Class 8s.

These three major problems are the electricity needed to power the semis, the minerals needed to manufacture their jumbo-sized batteries, and the fact that electric semis weigh almost twice as much as regular trucks.

He reports in the ATRI study that power generation throughout the country would need to increase by 40% to support a nation of electric semi-trucks.

Therefore, the idea that electric semi trucks would be better for the planet is, in some ways, a myth.

In addition to adding charging outlets nationwide, thousands of miles of electrical lines and server farms would have to be built.

The power will also need to be found for low-emissions heating, vehicle charging for passenger vehicles, population growth, economy growth, server farms, and AI.

While people like Elon Musk are often quoted as suggesting that “lithium is abundant,” mass-producing enormous batteries is not as the Tesla founder says. 

The US must also increase its production of other mineable minerals such as graphite, antimony, cobalt, and copper.

Currently, China controls the vast majority of the mines for these minerals, and they will clearly choose to power their own electric vehicles and tech devices before offering any to the USA.

And the ATRI believes that America’s existing infrastructure, including its roads, bridges, and guardrails would have to be redesigned and rebuilt to handle the excess weight. A project which the ATRI reports would cost the country trillions of dollars.

Not only in the initial price tag, as electric semis cost between $400,000 and $500,000 whereas standard trucks only cost about $150,000, but also because of the increased costs of electricity, charging stations, mining, and new roadways.

Companies hope to get a substantial return on their investment in electric semis. While they are needed for sustainability, the industry is expected to cost billions of dollars in the current climate, which is putting many off going electric.

Unfortunately, this will most likely lead to the average American spending more on groceries, deliveries, and pretty much everything else that’s moved in a semi-truck.

In their reports, they believe they outlined several key factors explaining why it’s almost impossible to begin a massive transition from gas-powered to electric trucks. 

However, as of right now, it appears the nation simply lacks the infrastructure, and a full transition to electric trucks could negatively affect the American economy.