Plan Early for Electric-Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Electric trucks promise benefits as diverse as lower emissions and a quiet ride. But fleets looking at the equipment might want to research the related charging infrastructure long before trucks roll off an assembly line, said speakers during an online panel discussion hosted by the American Trucking Associations during its virtual annual meeting.

“You can’t say ‘get started early’ enough,” said Jim O’Leary, vice president of fleet services for NFI, which has been working with both Freightliner and Volvo in electric-truck pilot programs.

He admits that he took charging needs for granted when first exploring electric trucks a couple of years ago.

Unlike the choice of traditional diesel-powered equipment, this work involves fleet personnel who traditionally deal with real estate issues, and contracts that refer to everything from load management to smart charging strategies.