Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today

This fact sheet from RMI argues that electric trucks are currently viable for a significant portion of the market, provided that policy frameworks and grid infrastructure are strengthened to support their adoption.

• Electric trucks can currently replace up to half of the trucks on the road today, as not every vehicle needs to perform in all circumstances. In New York and California, the majority of medium-duty trucks and approximately 50% of heavy-duty trucks operate on routes short enough to be served by existing electric truck models. While Class 8 heavy-duty tractors are the most difficult to electrify, battery electric vehicles are viable for regional haul operations where trucks return to base daily or travel short distances.
• Electric trucks address key operational requirements regarding freight capacity and driver comfort. Although electric trucks are heavier, they typically do not exceed weight limits because trucks fill their cargo space before reaching weight capacity about 75% of the time. This is further supported by a 2,000 pound federal weight exemption and increased weight limits in California. Drivers report higher satisfaction with electric trucks due to the lack of vibration and smell, smoother acceleration, and reduced fatigue compared to diesel trucks.
• While the economics of electric trucks are not yet fully realized, California provides a model for viability through specific incentives: the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) for purchase subsidies, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to lower fuel costs, and rebates from Pacific Gas & Electric for charging infrastructure.
• Scaling electric truck adoption requires policy and infrastructure beyond the vehicle itself. California's Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation aims for 100% of new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2050, while the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation mandates increasing electric fleet percentages. Fourteen other US states and Washington, D.C. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to follow ACT guidelines, covering nearly half of all US trucks. Additionally, upgrading grid infrastructure is essential to handle the power demand, though new funding and smart charging technologies may turn EVs into grid assets.

APA

RMI (2022). Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today. https://rmi.org/resources/reality-check-electric-trucks-are-viable-today/

Chicago

RMI. Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today. 2022. https://rmi.org/resources/reality-check-electric-trucks-are-viable-today/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today |date=25 May 2022 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/reality-check-electric-trucks-are-viable-today/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2022reality, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/reality-check-electric-trucks-are-viable-today/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }