Published on 3 Jan 2024 on FreightWaves via Yahoo Finance
Electric trucks should shake off setbacks in 2024
After growing pains in 2023, the new year looks promising for battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial trucks. (Photo: Proterra Inc.)
Meaningful volume growth eluded heavy-duty electric trucks last year for several reasons: Charging infrastructure lagged; recalls for battery fires delayed getting many trucks on the road; and money problems imperiled two battery makers.
The news wasn’t all bad, however. Real estate developers invested in and began building electric charging depots. Single-charge driving range improved for early Class 8 electric offerings from two legacy OEMs. A battery-making startup focused on lithium-iron phosphate chemistry achieved more than 600 miles on a single charge, albeit in a passenger vehicle.