Page 45 - ATR 3 2022 digital

In an appearance on Fox Business
March 12, American Trucking
“THAT TRANSITION’S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT’S Associations President and CEO Chris
JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. THIS Spear said electric vehicles will not

IS NOT ABOUT RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS. THE solve America’s rising inflation and
AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRIC CARS, IF YOU WANTED increasing supply chain problems. He
called for a “realistic domestic policy”
ONE, YOU’D BE WAITING MONTHS. WE’VE GOT A that includes increasing oil leases,
BACKLOG ON BATTERIES, AND A SHEER LACK OF THE exploration and production.
ABILITY TO CHARGE THIS EQUIPMENT, NOT JUST “That transition’s going to happen.
CARS BUT TRUCKS.” It’s just not going to happen tomorrow,”
he said. “This is not about rainbows
and unicorns. The availability of electric
—CHRIS SPEAR, AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS cars, if you wanted one, you’d be
PRESIDENT AND CEO waiting months. We’ve got a backlog on
batteries, and a sheer lack of the ability
to charge this equipment, not just cars
Another alternative is renewable build them into their freight networks. but trucks.”
diesel, which also is made from Newton said the study shows that Even if a truck fueling technology
vegetable oil and animal fat sources. policies incentivizing biofuels and greatly reduced emissions in a cost-
Almost 1 billion gallons are consumed other power sources could be at least effective manner, it wouldn’t be enough
annually in the United States, but that as good as electrification. There aren’t to protect the environment by itself.
number could increase to 5.1 billion enough electric trucks on the market to Medium- and heavy-duty trucks were
gallons by the end of 2024. It produces replace diesels, and there’s not enough responsible for only 7% of the country’s
68.7% lower emissions than diesel electricity currently being produced to greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.
consumed in an internal combustion power the trucks. Overall, the transportation sector was
engine. “It seems as though policies are responsible for 29% of greenhouse
Finally, there’s natural gas. There being created to check a box or appease gases, with electricity generation second
are already 175,000 natural gas vehicles a certain portion of the population who at 25% followed by industrial (23%),
in the United States, most of them perceives something that may or may residential/commercial (13%) and
commercial motor vehicles. These not be true as far as the actual impact agriculture (10%).
produce 27.8% lower carbon dioxide of forcing the industry to move to Medium- and heavy-duty trucks
emissions over the lifetime of the truck electric trucks,” she said. were responsible for 24% of greenhouse
than diesel engines, or 1 million fewer Newton noted that past government gas emissions in the United States
pounds of carbon dioxide. regulations forced truck manufacturers produced by the transportation
To produce its report, ATRI used to transition to new equipment before industry. Light-duty vehicles were
data from the GREET (Greenhouse the technology was ready. Trucking responsible for 58%, and they were
gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy companies paid a heavy price by having responsible for 17% of the country’s
use in Technologies) model developed by to buy more expensive engines that overall emissions.
the U.S. Department of Energy Argonne didn’t always work. Motor carriers are Newton noted that trucking is
National Laboratory, and other data willing to move to cleaner-burning agnostic about what kind of fuel it uses.
sources. engines, but it must make sense. “The industry is going to find
Arkansas Trucking Association “Historically, the industry the most cost-effective and efficient
President Shannon Newton said for has proven that we intend to be mechanism to fuel their fleet,” she said.
ATA’s members, a switch to electric good partners when it comes to “And if that turns out to be biofuels or
trucks for over-the-road, irregular the environment, and that it is our if it turns out to be electrification or
routes “still feels like it’s really far ambition to be able to deploy equipment if it turns out to be some combination
away.” Larger carriers are experimenting that is environmentally friendly,” she of all three across different service
with the technology, but it’s not cost- said. “But there is a balance between networks, the industry has a vested
effective for many mid-size fleets. Even what is environmentally friendly and interest in finding that solution.
if the infrastructure and charging what is economically viable. Sometimes “And those that do it well will be
stations were available — which they’re the regulators get a little bit out in front rewarded with success, and those that
not — carriers can’t acquire electric of themselves, a little bit over their don’t will fall by the wayside.” ATR
trucks at their current high cost and skis.”

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