Ready for Work 2.0

The report analyzes the environmental, health, and economic impacts of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) pollution in the US and advocates for an accelerated transition to battery-electric trucks. It highlights that while MHDVs make up a small fraction of road vehicles, they contribute a disproportionate share of NOx, PM2.5, and greenhouse gas emissions. The document argues that battery-electric vehicles (BETs) are technically and economically superior to hydrogen fuel-cell alternatives for most duty cycles. It details the role of state policies like California's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation and federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in driving adoption. The report concludes with recommendations for expanding charging infrastructure, implementing indirect source rules for warehouses, and maintaining high-road labor standards during the transition.

• Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) produce a disproportionate amount of pollution relative to their share of the vehicle population, accounting for 58% of smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 52% of lung-damaging fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from on-road vehicles, despite making up only 13% of vehicles on the road.
• Climate-warming emissions from MHDVs have increased by over 77% between 1990 and 2022, a growth rate that far exceeds that of light-duty vehicles (which grew by approximately 9% in the same period) due to increased vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and slower fuel efficiency gains.
• Battery-electric trucks (BETs) significantly reduce both health and climate impacts compared to diesel models; for example, a model year 2023 battery-electric tractor truck in a drayage duty cycle reduces negative health impacts by 86% to 89% over an average diesel drayage truck.
• Battery-electric trucks are projected to reach purchase price parity with combustion models by the end of the decade, aided by federal incentives. Some smaller vehicles, such as the Ford Transit cargo van, have already achieved off-the-lot price parity when tax credits are applied.
• The majority of MHDVs are well-suited for electrification because over 90% travel fewer than 200 miles per day, and over 75% are parked for more than 6 hours daily, allowing for efficient depot charging.
• Hydrogen fuel-cell trucks are currently less viable than battery-electric options because over 95% of hydrogen fuel is produced from fossil fuels via steam methane reformation, and electrolysis-based hydrogen consumes about three times more energy per mile than BETs.
• State-level regulations, specifically California's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, are effectively driving adoption; ACT states accounted for nearly 37% of all zero-emission MHDV registrations between 2019 and 2023, despite representing only 20% of the national MHDV market.
• Federal investments via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are accelerating infrastructure; the Clean Ports Program (CPP) provides $3 billion to electrify port operations, including the Port of Oakland, which received over $350 million.
• Payload capacity is not a significant barrier to BET adoption because most tractor truck loads are 'cube-limited' (space-limited) rather than 'weight-limited,' with nearly 70% of loaded five-axle tractor truck miles occurring at 10,000 pounds or more below the federal weight limit.
• The US Postal Service (USPS) has committed to replacing its fleet with a target of around two-thirds zero-emission vehicles for the first phase of replacement and 100% starting in 2027.

APA

Wilson, S. (2025). Ready for Work 2.0. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/ready-for-work-2-report.pdf

Chicago

Wilson, Sam. Ready for Work 2.0. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2025. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/ready-for-work-2-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wilson |first1=Sam |title=Ready for Work 2.0 |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=February 2025 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/ready-for-work-2-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wilson2025ready, author = {Wilson, Sam}, title = {{Ready for Work 2.0}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/ready-for-work-2-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }