While the trucking industry seems hyper focused on the push toward electric vehicle technology, there are green alternative fuels — such as renewable versions of diesel, propane autogas and natural gas — that are ready and available for adoption today.
The electrification effort is making strides in the industry, especially in California, where the state has embarked on a strategy to transition its freight sector away from fossil fuels to electrification and reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. But the pace and cost of building out the infrastructure in North America is still uncertain.
Roush CleanTech President Todd Mouw put it perfectly: the U.S. seems to have “shiny penny syndrome.”
“About 10 years ago, everything’s natural gas. Now everything’s electricity,” he says. “While developing electric trucks makes sense, there are a lot of barriers that still have to get knocked down for that to be mainstream.”
As the electric market takes the time to mature, what are the options for fleets to make their internal combustion engines greener now?
