Roeth: Duty cycles, not hype, determine alternative power success

We recently released our second NACFE report, Run on Less – Messy Middle. Terrain, Technology, and Telematics: The Messy Middle Operations Report covers operational factors of Run on Less – Messy Middle. The Run measured real-world performance of 14 Class 8 tractors operated by 13 participating fleets across four energy pathways: diesel/renewable diesel/biodiesel, compressed natural gas/renewable natural gas, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell.

Dean Bushey, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) director of programs, and Yunsu Park, NACFE’s director of engineering, spent a lot of time analyzing and mining the data to see what we could learn from all the data collected during the 18 days of the Run. They applied a standardized and transparent methodology to collect, validate, and analyze operational data across participating fleets. They combined high-resolution telematics capture with qualitative operational context gathered through driver interviews, fleet manager consultations, and site visits.

I am not sure I can say there were any big surprises with what we learned, but many of the assumptions we made going into the Run were validated. One key finding was that duty cycle has a direct influence on technology suitability. We had learned a little about this as it pertained to battery electric vehicles from Run on Less – Electric and Run on Less – Electric DEPOT. And the data from this Run confirmed the applicability of duty cycles not just for BEVs but also for trucks powered by CNG/RNG and those powered by hydrogen fuel cells. And we also learned about the role of renewable and biodiesel.

My advice for fleets navigating the Messy Middle is to match powertrain technology to duty cycles based on route characteristics, infrastructure access, and operational requirements. We also recommend that fleets conduct route-specific analysis before deploying any technology, especially those sensitive to terrain.

Make sure to realistically evaluate the currently available infrastructure for the routes on which you will deploy vehicles. And take the time to train drivers, technicians, and dispatchers on the new technology, on its capabilities and limitations. You will need buy-in from these people if you want to successfully move into a more sustainable movement of goods.

I think we are going to be in the Messy Middle for quite a while, so fleets need to remain flexible because, as technology and infrastructure evolve, they may need to invest in different powertrains than they are using today.

One graphic from the report I think fleets will find very helpful is the one that contains a deployment readiness assessment. It shares the five dimensions—route/corridor, infrastructure, operational readiness, economics, and sustainability—that fleets need to evaluate before making a commitment to a given technology.

This report is long, but it is divided into sections that allow you to focus on a particular fleet, one technology, a cross-fleet evaluation based on a specific technology, or an analysis comparing all four technologies.

This report is rich with data and analysis, and I encourage you to spend some time with it as you try to successfully navigate the Messy Middle. Remember, NACFE is here to be your guide, so contact us to chat about the report.