Electric Trucks: The REALITY for Tesla Semi & Volvo Fleets

Electric trucks are now in operation, but the real-world experience is a mixed bag. CEO of Hight Logistics, Rudy Diaz, explains the challenges and successes of transitioning to an electric fleet, including charging infrastructure, battery range, financing, and regulations. The biggest challenge is not the trucks themselves but securing reliable charging infrastructure before vehicles arrive.

Roughly 850 EV trucks are currently operating at the LA and Long Beach port complex, and the number of new orders has nearly doubled in a single year due to HVIP vouchers. Tesla is expected to capture the majority of these new orders because it engineered its Semi from the ground up. Both BYD and Volvo VNRE trucks share similar limitations: a realistic range of 200-220 miles per charge, a full recharge time of 2-3 hours, and a weight penalty of 6,000-8,000 pounds compared to diesel trucks.

The high price tag of around $400,000 per truck is another hurdle, which Hight Logistics could not overcome without grant funding and incentives. California's Advanced Clean Fleets rule was a regulatory push that eventually led Hight Logistics to EVs. Diesel is still viable for short-haul drayage, but EVs are becoming more attractive due to rising diesel prices near $8.50/gallon.

The learning curve for route and charge management is steep, but dispatchers have adapted to the quieter, automatic, regenerative-braking trucks. Hight Logistics aims for a 100% EV fleet in the future, and the ecosystem has improved in terms of financing, insurance, and truck availability since their entry into the EV truck market.