Ready for Work

The report examines the technical and economic feasibility of electrifying heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) in the US, highlighting their potential to significantly reduce NOx, PM2.5, and greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that current battery technology is sufficient for the majority of HDV operating ranges and that total cost of ownership is becoming competitive with diesel. The document recommends a combination of financial incentives, infrastructure investment, and regulatory standards to drive the transition.

• Heavy-duty vehicles contribute disproportionately to pollution despite their small share of the total vehicle population; they make up 10 percent of US road vehicles but are responsible for 28 percent of on-road global warming emissions, 45 percent of on-road NOx emissions, and 57 percent of on-road direct PM2.5 emissions.
• Current battery technology is compatible with the operational needs of most heavy-duty vehicles, as over 80 percent of these trucks have a primary operating range of less than 100 miles, and nearly 70 percent operate within 50 miles.
• Battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles consistently produce lower life cycle global warming emissions than diesel vehicles regardless of the US electricity grid region or vehicle speed, with reductions ranging from 44 to 79 percent on the average US grid.
• Full electrification of the US heavy-duty truck fleet would result in a 71 percent decrease in energy consumption compared to diesel and gasoline use, although it would increase overall electricity generation by approximately 13 percent.
• Electric heavy-duty vehicles are becoming cost-competitive with diesel on a total-cost-of-ownership basis, with many expected to be cheaper within the next 10 years due to significant savings in fuel and maintenance.
• To accelerate adoption, the report recommends three primary policy levers: financial incentives (such as tax credits and rebates), investments in charging infrastructure, and the implementation of manufacturing and purchasing standards.
• Air pollution from vehicles disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income populations; for example, Asian Americans, African Americans, and Latinos are exposed to 34 percent, 24 percent, and 23 percent more PM2.5 pollution than the national average, respectively.

APA

O’Dea, J. (2019). Ready for Work. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/ReadyforWorkFullReport.pdf

Chicago

O’Dea, Jimmy. Ready for Work. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2019. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/ReadyforWorkFullReport.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=O’Dea |first1=Jimmy |title=Ready for Work |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=December 2019 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/ReadyforWorkFullReport.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{odea2019ready, author = {O’Dea, Jimmy}, title = {{Ready for Work}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/ReadyforWorkFullReport.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }