The introduction of electric-powered commercial trucks continued to gain momentum in 2019 with more investment, more prototypes unveiled and more deployments in real-world freight operations.

This emerging segment of the commercial vehicle market is still in its infancy, but the world’s largest truck makers and their suppliers have made it clear that they see electrification as a pillar of the industry’s future.

What’s less clear, however, is how quickly that future will arrive.

Diesel undoubtedly will remain trucking’s primary fuel for years to come, and the internal combustion engine still has a long road ahead of it, but manufacturers believe that electric trucks are poised to become an increasingly important piece of the freight transportation industry.

Financially viable business cases for electric trucks are starting to appear in applications with high vehicle utilization and repetitive freight flows, and in areas with strong clean-air regulations and government incentives, said Volvo Group CEO Martin ­Lundstedt.

“In certain regions and countries, I think we will see a ramp-up,” ­Lundstedt said at the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association’s luncheon and briefing Oct. 29 at NACV.

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