Supply Chain Scanner - Week of January 13, 2025
Weekly blog by Emily Atkins
Decarbonizing Canadian trucking – are EVs the answer?
Getting diesel trucks off the road is the path forward to decarbonizing Canada’s road freight.
At least, that’s what Pollution Probe, the Mobility Futures Lab and Delphi, suggest in a new report, “Charting the Path to Zero Emissions for Class 8 Long-Haul Freight,” outlining steps to decarbonize Canada’s long-haul transport sector.
The report identifies two primary pathways toward decarbonizing long-haul freight: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
Class 8 long-haul trucks emit the most greenhouse gas (GHG) in Canada’s medium and heavy-duty vehicle sector due to their extensive travel distances, large diesel engines and heavy payloads.
Decarbonizing this sector can help Canada meet its net-zero emissions target, but investment and policy support are needed, the report says. While there are commercially available examples of both BEV and FCEV Class 8 trucks on the Canadian market, challenges remain in terms of cost, weight and charging/refuelling. This report outlines what’s needed to accelerate the transition to zero-emission trucking by addressing these challenges.
"The transition to zero-emission long-haul freight is both a challenge and an opportunity for Canada to lead in sustainable transportation,” said Christopher Hilkene, chief executive officer at Pollution Probe.
“By investing in the right technologies and infrastructure today, we can reduce emissions, improve air quality, and position our economy for a better, greener future. Through this report, we’ve highlighted the necessary steps to ensure the long-haul trucking sector is able to play its part in tackling climate change."
According to the report, BEVs and FCEVs represent the two most viable solutions to decarbonize long-haul transport. However, both require extensive infrastructure development before they can take over the highways.
The future of long-haul BEVs hinges on advancements in battery technology and the establishment of widespread fast-charging infrastructure across the country. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks offer a promising solution but require green hydrogen production and a comprehensive national hydrogen distribution network to support their adoption. The good news is that the relatively clean Canadian electricity grid is promising in terms of supporting decarbonization, enabling significant emissions reductions for both technologies, the report suggests.
The report notes that existing ZEV models for both BEV and FCEV Class 8 trucks have range and payload limitations relative to their diesel counterparts. The existing ZEV models do, however, show potential for specific, less-than-full-truckload weight applications and both technologies show potential for improvement (toward full load long-haul applications) with continued R&D investments by OEMs.
As of 2024, many truck manufacturers are still betting that the future of long-haul trucking is FCEVs. Others are putting their chips on BEVs, believing that battery technology advancements in the coming decade will make them the powertrain of choice for trucks from delivery vans to powerful semis. Fleet operators and decision-makers currently lack up-to-date information on the developments of each technology, and the implications of their adoption in the Canadian context.
There’s also a question of manufacturer viability, as we have seen with the recent filing for bankruptcy protection by Lion Electric, the Quebec-based makers of heavy-duty electric trucks.
The report calls for policy support and financial incentives to close the cost gap between diesel internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks and ZEVs. With the current cost of ownership for ZEVs still higher than traditional diesel trucks, ongoing support for demonstration projects and infrastructure development is essential, the organizations behind the study say.
Financial incentives are likely to play a major role in the near future, facilitating the testing of these technologies under pilot conditions. Although the current application landscape is limited in Canada, plans for Class 8 long-haul FCEV pilots in Alberta are underway. Likewise, the deployment of BEV Class 8s in regional haul applications is growing, with anticipation for technological advances that will enable long-haul applications in the future.
The report’s authors believe that regulatory measures can help drive the manufacturing and adoption of alternative technologies, enabling a smoother market transition.
While both BEV and FCEV trucks currently face challenges such as limited range and payload capacity compared to diesel trucks, the report emphasizes that further research and development by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will improve the performance of these vehicles for long-haul applications. Additionally, the total cost of ownership is expected to decrease over time, with BEVs and FCEVs potentially offering lower maintenance costs compared to diesel trucks.
Looking ahead, the report stresses that investments in infrastructure — for both high-powered chargers and hydrogen refuelling stations — will be vital in determining which technology gains dominance in specific freight corridors.
What do you think? Has your organization started the transition to electric?
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Emily Atkins
President
Emily Atkins Group
Emily Atkins is president of Emily Atkins Group and was editor of Inside Logistics from 2002 to 2024. She has lived and worked around the world as a journalist and writer for hire, with experience in several sectors besides supply chain, including automotive, insurance and waste management. Based in Southern Ontario, when she’s not researching or writing a story she can be found on her bike, in a kayak, singing in the band or at the wheel of her race car. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyatkinsgroup/