Latest Zero-Emission Truck News from August 2024

HDT's roundup of battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel-cell-electric heavy-duty truck news features updates from Volvo, Hyundai, and Isuzu, plus charging infrastructure funding.

Volvo Gets Order for 300 Electric Trucks

Global logistics company DSV has signed an agreement with Volvo Trucks for 300 electric heavy trucks. It’s one of the largest commercial orders to date for Volvo electric trucks and will give DSV one of the largest company fleets of heavy electric trucks in Europe. 

The agreement also includes 500 Volvo trucks with highly fuel-efficient diesel and gas drivelines. All trucks are planned to be delivered between 2024 and 2026.

The new trucks being supplied to DSV will include the new Volvo FH Aero Electric, which has improved aerodynamics, making it even more energy efficient.

Since 2019, Volvo Trucks has delivered more than 3,800 electric trucks to customers in 46 countries around the world.  

California Gets Grants for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

The California Department of Transportation will receive $102 million for the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project to deploy EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along 2,500 miles of key freight corridors in California, Oregon, and Washington.

It's one of five California projects to receive nearly $150 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The grants are made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program and a 10% set-aside from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

German Parcel Service Deploys Hyundai Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck

GLS, a Europe-wide parcel service, has successfully completed 30,000 kilometers in its evaluation of the Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck in Germany.

Since late 2023, GLS Germany has delivered over 100,000 packages with the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell 6x2 truck equipped with an Allison 4000 Series automatic transmission in the greater Cologne area. Since March 2024, the truck has been used for long-distance trips between Cologne and Mannheim.

Earlier this year, Hyundai premiered the Xcient fuel-cell electric truck for North America.

Isuzu NRR-EV Starts Production

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced the official start of production for its new chassis, the Isuzu NRR-EV. This all-new Class 5 electric-truck chassis is being produced in Charlotte, Michigan. It’s currently available for ordering, with first deliveries in September.

Earlier this year, Isuzu announced it is teaming up with Cummins for a new Class 6/7 battery-electric truck model, expected to be available in 2026.

Peterbilt Details Medium-Duty and EV Truck Enhancements

Peterbilt officials talked about the 2027 emissions pre-buy, medium-duty updates, how California's Advanced Clean Trucks regulations will affect dealers and customers, and the latest on its electric trucks during a “Commitment to Class” event for customers and suppliers in early August.

Patrick Wallace, EV marketing manager, noted that the California Air Resource Board Advanced Clean Trucks rule requires OEMs in that state to sell a certain number of zero-emission trucks.

That means California fleets looking to buy diesel units will have fewer non-diesel trucks available on dealer lots. (And that doesn't even take into consideration the related Advanced Clean Fleets rule in California, which requires fleets to transition to zero-emissions trucks.)

Battle Motors Goes National with Velocity Truck Centers

Velocity Truck Centers is expanding its partnership with Battle Motors, making Battle Motors' electric, CNG and internal-combustion-engine trucks available through VTC dealerships nationwide, including California, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama.

Battle Motors designs and builds Class 7 and 8 trucks used in the refuse market. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the expansion of Battle Motors' presence in the United States market.