We live in unique times. While self-quarantine has temporarily become a common practice across the world to combat the spread of COVID-19, the environmental effects of economy slowdown have been seen globally. In Venice, the usually murky waterways are crystal clear. In China, the concerning air pollution in Wuhan has given way to clear skies. There is no doubt that our human activity affects the world around us. When the economy is running normally, heavy-duty, powerful equipment is necessary to complete the tasks performed in many industries. Concerns have been raised in recent years about how commercial equipment is negatively affecting the environment, mainly regarding pollution from emissions. It is estimated that the trucking sector on its own contributes to 39% of emissions for all transport. Many industries, including trucking, have been responding with innovative changes to the way they design and operate the equipment that makes their businesses run. This article will explore the recent innovations in commercial trucking that respond to environmental concerns in a sustainable and effective way.
In addition to helping the environment, these innovations often come with other benefits to business owners who are most interested in meeting their bottom line. Read on to find out what they are.
BIODIESEL INNOVATIONS IN COMMERCIAL TRUCKING
WHAT IS IT?
Biodiesel is made from renewable and biodegradable sources such as corn, animal fats, and natural oils. Currently, fossil fuels are the dominant source of producing diesel—fossil fuels are non-renewable with constantly depleting reserves and questionable environmental effects. Diesel releases carbon monoxide and particulate matter into the atmosphere, substances which have been linked to lung and heart health as well as pollution. Most trucks are already capable of using a B20 blend which means the fuel is 20% biofuel and 80% petroleum diesel. As biofuel technology advances, new commercial trucks will likely be manufactured to run on higher and higher levels of biodiesel.
Some companies are working to develop biodiesel that will be able to seamlessly replace the fossil fuels currently used for a lot of commercial equipment. The goal is that these new fuel systems will not require engine modifications. One example of these developing systems is the Vector fuel system which uses biodiesel at all times except for when starting the truck and shutting it down. It also has the capability to fall back on fully diesel operation. This system has been designed specifically for medium and heavy-duty trucks that operate in a broad range of climates.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
In addition to reducing trucking’s environmental impact, there are benefits for truckers and trucking companies themselves. Tests have shown that the performance of biodiesel is on par with regular diesel. It even does better in some areas such as operating in cold weather conditions. Another benefit is that biodiesel is already cheaper to purchase across the country as states work to create incentives for using biofuel blends. Being able to produce these fuels in-country will also reduce the need to import fossil fuels from other countries.
However, there are some who caution against the mandated use of biofuel across the country, citing that it would increase mono-cropping and contribute to food insecurity especially where corn and soybeans are used to make the fuel. Some developers are partnering up and responding to these worries by experimenting with even more innovative solutions such as biodiesel made from algae. Current efforts are underway to produce algae-based biodiesel at commercial levels.
AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING INNOVATIONS
WHAT IS IT?
While autonomous trucking is often synonymous with self-driving trucks, this is not all it entails. There are several layers of autonomous elements that are currently being tested as innovations in commercial trucking right now. Most autonomous truck prototypes call for a driver in the driver’s seat but have automated many features in order to improve safety and gas mileage. The driver is still able to take over at any point.
At the simplest level of automation, one or a few features have been automated such as cruise control or lane assist to let you know when you’re drifting. While this is present in many new passenger vehicles, it is becoming more and more common in commercial vehicles. At the next level, more features become automated such as acceleration/deceleration, emergency braking, and automated GPS technology. This will be a useful option for long-haul routes without traffic and predictable weather. The driver can still take charge if conditions change. The next level is full-automation but the driver is still present. At the top level—known as a level 5 autonomous vehicle—trucks are fully automated with no driver. While a future filled with level 5 semi-trucks is a ways off, one company successfully sent a self-driven shipment of butter from California to Pennsylvania in December of 2019 (with a driver onboard as a safety precaution).
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Environmentally, autonomous features increase aerodynamics and efficiency by finding ideal speeds which saves fuel. Optimizing acceleration and breaking operations can also prevent wasting fuel and reduce emissions. With increased road safety as well, accidents and rollovers are expected to decrease which will reduce the environmental impact of collisions.
Platooning is a form of autonomous trucking where trucks use vehicle-to-vehicle communication to follow closely behind one another. Testing for platooning is occurring with and without drivers. Using drafting, fuel efficiency is increased by up to 10% for the trucks following the lead driver. They are also able to transport more goods at a faster rate since they can follow safely behind one another at a close distance using radar and sensors. For fleet owners, the economic benefits of platooning are easy to see. For truck drivers themselves, autonomous trucking features have already added much to safety and costs are cut by way of fuel efficiency and less accidents. Truckers will be able to take more of a monitoring role during the long stretches of open road which could decrease their stress and exhaustion, thus reducing error when they need to take the wheel in extreme weather or during last-mile delivery.
ELECTRIC SEMI-TRUCK INNOVATIONS IN COMMERCIAL TRUCKING
WHAT IS IT?
Electric fleets of all kinds of delivery vehicles are taking the transportation world by storm. Electric heavy-duty trucks are being developed to mimic the design of the traditional big rig but will run on motors rather diesel engines. Electric vehicles require a charging port rather than gas and take longer to charge (about 30 to 50 minutes) but are cheaper to fill. Electric engines are simpler to maintain than combustion engines and release zero emissions. Some companies are planning on releasing their first round of fully electric models in the next few years.
Daimler, Tesla, and Volvo are working on rolling out the first electric models for the road. Daimler’s model currently has a range of about 250 miles while Tesla’s model will come in a 200-mile model and a 500-mile one. The higher mileage will put the cost of this new semi at $180,000. Walmart and PepsiCo. have apparently already put in their orders, according to one source. The Tesla versions will also come equipped with cruise control that harnesses the power of automation, as discussed above. Daimler has claimed that they intend to do their part to create a zero emissions future with their electric model. While the shorter range is a concern for long-hauls which can sometimes go for 2,000 mile stretches at a time, this is expected to improve with later designs. They are expected to be able to carry 80,000-pound loads long-range which is standard for diesel trucks.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
As previously mentioned, the greatest environmental benefit of electric semi-trucks is zero emissions. As federal fuel economy standards continue to evolve, producing these zero emissions trucks will help manufactures to get favorable scoring based on these standards which will help them sell more trucks overall. There are additional perks for drivers such as the elimination of noise pollution. This will allow drivers to expand their permitting and be able to operate their truck within a wider range of hours, especially in urban areas where diesel trucks will be restricted. Volvo found in their test runs that when trucks have more freedom to keep their schedule, clients end up saving money since they won’t have to overstock their inventory in case their shipments are late.
In addition to more favorable permits, truckers also benefit from how electric vehicles can be controlled more easily with acceleration/deceleration and breaking. This is a plus for both fuel efficiency and safety. Independent truckers and companies will potentially benefit as well from the lowered cost of electric energy. Tesla estimates that the electric semi will cost $1.26 per mile rather than the standard $1.51 for a diesel-operated truck, though this has not been confirmed.
In closing, the commercial trucking sector is continually seeking to invent technology that will decrease the industry’s environmental impact while simultaneously increasing efficiency and safety. Fleet owners and truckers around the country should keep a sharp eye out for what’s next in the coming years as these innovations in commercial trucking roll out onto the streets.
