Q&A: Electric Refuse Trucks with Rocco DiRico of N.Y. Sanitation Department
The Electric Truck Landscape
Electric commercial trucks are still in their infancy but the technology and infrastructure that will power future trucks is quickly maturing.

Battery-electric commercial trucks aren't yet viable for every application, but you might start to see some on the road sooner than you think.
Photo via Daimler Trucks
Electric commercial trucks are still in their infancy but the technology and infrastructure that will power future trucks is quickly maturing. Here are a few recent stories on how electric trucks are shaping up and what some fleets can expect in the next few years.
In this exclusive HDT interview, Rocco “Rocky” DiRico, deputy commissioner for the Department of Sanitation New York outlines why he feels electric refuse trucks are his best future-fleet option.
James Dyson offers evidence that battery and electric motor technology are advancing more quickly than most of us think.
Electric trucks are coming, and proponents say they’ll earn their keep right out of the box.
In a series of tweets, CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla has gone into the trucking business.
Charging standards will help accelerate the use of electric trucks and progress is being made.
Volvo Trucks has announced plans to sell an all-electric truck called the Volvo VNR Electric in North America by 2020.
Hyliion’s hybrid-electric system makes the truck feel like you have only half a load in the box, says Equipment Editor Jim Park.
Electric trucks aren't new – but a number of factors may mean wider adoption than ever before. A look at some electric truck models old and new.
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