Advanced Energy Perspectives

Setting out toward an advanced transportation future can feel like a mythic quest, given the array of investments, organizations, policies, and regulations required. Only a handful of states have truly embarked upon it, and none have reached the promised land yet. But a new entrant, Virginia, has embarked on that journey, and after a quick legislative session just ended, is making impressive headway.

So the United States Postal Service went shopping for what it called its “next generation” of delivery vehicles. But the USPS doesn’t go shopping like the rest of us, especially because, when it talks about “next generation,” the Postal Service means vehicles that it expects to be in service for decades. And especially when it’s doing so at a time when the entire auto industry is making a transition from internal combustion engines to electric drive trains, with automakers declaring an all-EV future and major fleet operators placing orders for all-electric trucks and delivery vans by the hundred thousands. So what can you call it when the USPS places an order for its next-generation vehicles based mostly on last-generation vehicle technology? We call it a missed delivery.

Nevada has taken many important steps toward creating an electrified transportation future. In June, Governor Sisolak announced the Clean Cars Initiative, which is a program designed to bring more low-emission and zero-emission cars and light duty trucks to Nevada dealerships. Then, the Nevada Climate Strategy and Division of Environmental Protection’s 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report echoed the need for thoughtful state policy to expand consumer choice and build out charging infrastructure in order to transform the transportation sector. In addition to their focus on cars and light trucks, they both recognize that electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicles will also be critical to meeting  the state’s commitment to a zero-emission future. Fleet ownership will be the key.

Over the summer, headlines proclaimed the news that Tesla, the global leader in electric vehicles (EVs), had decided to locate its next U.S. factory in Austin. Recently, Tesla’s famed founder, Elon Musk, even announced that he would be moving to Texas himself. None of this should come as a surprise. Texas has long been a leader in energy of all sorts, including advanced energy technologies like wind and solar power, so it’s only natural to add EVs to the mix. "Everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes Tesla," said Gov. Greg Abbott in a video interview posted to Twitter. “Tesla is moving here because of the free market principles that allow it to come here and be an innovator without government dictates… Texas will be number one in energy, including clean energy.” By welcoming Tesla, Texas has earned a place at the forefront of the forthcoming electric transportation revolution – and a new analysis shows Tesla could be just the start.

While the typical electric vehicle in the minds of most consumers may be a compact urban car or possibly a luxury sedan – call it “Tesla Envy Syndrome” – 2020 has been the Year of the Electric Truck. Large companies, including Walmart, PepsiCo, and Sysco, have announced plans to begin replacing their fleets with electric trucks, and the pandemic’s increase in residential delivery has prompted Amazon, FedEx, and UPS to speed up the switch to electric. Market analysts predict rapid growth in this sector through the next decade. This is in large part due to the savings from reduced fuel and maintenance costs over the life of electric trucks. But with major product announcements this year, the savings and performance benefits of electric-powered vehicles will soon be available to pickup drivers too.