Planning your transportation transition

For the last 75 years, the basis for transportation in the U.S. has been consistent: gasoline/diesel-powered vehicles with a well-established infrastructure that provides ubiquitous public and private refueling options for vehicles that deliver significant range and effective climate control. The comfort and predictability of that model is challenged by the transition to Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV), which is underway driven by concerns around decarbonization and enforced through regulation and legislation.

Transitioning a fleet takes time, planning, coordination and internal process work as companies adjust to embrace the differences between their existing transportation fleets and emerging alternatives. This can be an opportunity for companies to examine their costs and capital efficiency while exploring changes to their business model that improve operational profitability, increase customer satisfaction and decrease environmental impacts. The transition is not a single step; it is a progression likely through several technologies as regulations, technologies and infrastructures evolve.

New technology, new possibilities

Your AFV strategy will be based on your specific needs, the most fundamental of which is vehicle “class” and its use. But with AFVs, the challenges of new technologies, infrastructures and materials need to also be considered, including local weather (impacts heating and cooling) need for on-vehicle power (hydraulics, refrigeration, emergency lighting), static use (base for construction/repair crews) and how you currently depot (home at night or stored in the yard). It is also very dependent on your local utility and regional infrastructure investments, as well as local government permitting and safety requirements and your insurance company. Whether the issue is getting more power to your facility than your utility can currently provide or deploying new garage fire suppression to handle battery fires and meet fire codes and insurance requirements, the transition to alternative fuels will impact your people, your finances, your customers, and your bottom line.

So, what are the current and emerging AFV alternatives?

• Hybrid electric: Focused on cars, hybrids combining both electric and ICE drive trains which can reduce their low-speed emissions and increase their realized MPG. These have been primarily targeted at cars but can be expensive to maintain and are being quickly replaced by Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• Compressed natural gas: