Authors: Dawn Fenton, Vice President, Government Relations & Public Affairs, Volvo Group North America; Aravind Kailas, Advanced Technology Policy Director, Volvo Group North America

This article, published in the World Electric Vehicle Journal on September 7, 2021, reviews the Volvo LIGHTS project, a multifaceted public–private partnership in Southern California, and provides some early insights and a model for successful fleet adoption of Class 8 battery-electric trucks. This paradigm shift in commercial trucking is emerging, forcing greater interdependence among many stakeholders—fleets, truck manufacturers, and policymakers—not currently engaged in the traditional heavy-duty commercial truck market.

The many perspectives from this article such as lead times and costs associated with the deployment of charging infrastructure, developing the workforce to support largescale deployments, and the need for market development incentives from the government can be used to inform the programs and policies of California and other states seeking to follow their lead.

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