Photo: Run On Less/Twitter
Image From I Os
Image From I Os
Image From I Os
Image From I Os
Image From I Os

Preparing for Run on Less – Electric

April 7, 2021
Gathering data from electric trucks in real-world operations will help the entire industry gain a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of these vehicles.

We at NACFE could not be more pleased at the number of fleets that have stepped up to participate in the first Run on Less – Electric.

We knew we were asking a lot of both fleets and electric vehicle manufacturers to participate in the Run and subject their trucks to public scrutiny given that we are in the early stages of production models of these vehicles. And we recognize that this is just a fraction of the fleets and OEMs building, testing and operating electric vehicles.

I want to publicly thank this year’s participants:

  • Alpha Baking Co. operating a Workhorse C1000 in Chicago, Ill.
  • Anheuser-Busch using a BYD tractor in the Los Angeles area
  • Biagi Brothers operating a Peterbilt 579EV out of Sonoma, Calif.
  • Cardenas Inc. using an Xos van in Ventura, Calif.
  • NFI using a Volvo VNR Electric out of Chino, Calif.
  • Penske operating a Freightliner eCascadia in Los Angeles
  • PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Division using a Cummins box truck in Modesto, Calif.
  • Purolator operating a Motiv-powered step van in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Roush Fenway Racing using a ROUSH CleanTech truck out of Concord, N.C.
  • Ruan using an Orange EV terminal tractor in Otsego, Minn.
  • Ryder System, Inc. using a Lonestar Specialty Vehicles terminal tractor in Georgetown, Ky.
  • SAQ: Quebec Liquor board operating a LION8 truck in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • TBD operating a Lightning eMotors truck in the New York City area

One thing we are excited about is that these trucks are not just operating in California, but also are in other areas of the U.S. and Canada. And we like the diversity of applications of the trucks in the Run too. The NACFE team is excited to understand and share the many stories that these pioneers will share with us over the next six months.

While NACFE has published Guidance Reports on various aspects of electric trucks from which lessons can be learned, we believe getting data from electric trucks in real-world operations will help the entire industry gain a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of these vehicles. And we hope this will speed up the adoption in applications where electric vehicles make sense.

We also know that there are many other fleets and other OEMs in the electric truck space, and we hope they too will get some valuable insights that will help them in their development efforts.

We are proud of the bold pioneers who have stepped up to help the whole industry make progress on the journey through the messy middle to an electric, zero-emissions future.

And given the fast pace at which developments are occurring in the electric truck space, I would not be surprised if there was a Run on Less – Electric II. I am not promising anything; but I do think it is possible.

Michael Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency. He currently serves on the second National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technologies and Approaches for Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and has held various positions in engineering, quality, sales and plant management with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.

About the Author

Michael Roeth | Executive Director

Michael Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). He serves on the second National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technologies and Approaches for Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and has held various positions in engineering, quality, sales, and plant management with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.

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