TACOMA, Wash., August 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Speaking together on a panel today at the Green Transportation Summit and Expo, representatives from Daimler Truck, Navistar, PACCAR and Volvo Group outlined a shared vision for an industry-wide transition to medium and long-haul jobs. heavy (MHD) zero emission vehicles (ZEV).
ZEV commercial vehicles are in production and ready for use in many applications,” he said Dawn Fentonvice president of government and public affairs, Volvo Group North America, “But the ZEV transition relies on more than OEM innovation. To get these vehicles on the road, our nation must prioritize a coordinated and comprehensive strategy, encouraging ZEV uptake and addressing gaps in charging and service infrastructure.For this reason, Volvo Group welcomes the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provide significant federal support for EVs. heavy zero-emission and infrastructure deployment.”
All four OEMs are founding members of Partners for a Zero Emission Vehicle Future (PZEVF), a growing coalition of stakeholders from across the transportation industry that views ZEVs as the future of commercial transportation. PZEVF members include trucking associations, private operators and other stakeholders committed to meeting the environmental and economic goals of the MHD ZEV deployment.
Panel members addressed a wide range of issues, including the benefits of a coordinated national approach to ZEV deployment, the importance of EV sales incentives at the point of sale to offset upfront purchase costs for fleets and operators, the challenges with which the burdened electric utilities face. by improving networking and the interaction of federal and state legislation in aligning policies and programs to support settlement objectives. The Inflation Reduction Act, which contains tax credits for purchasing MHD ZEVs and installing charging infrastructure, was cited by panelists as an example of policy progress, who warned that more needs to be done.
“In the early stages of the industry’s transition to zero emissions, grants and incentives are essential to help operators and owners offset the higher initial purchase costs and encourage these vehicles to be on our nation’s roads,” it said. Alec Cervenka, Kenworth Zero Emissions Sales Manager, who represented PACCAR on the panel. “In the future, as volumes increase and the industry realizes economies of scale, we eventually expect ZEV technology to provide a total cost of ownership on par with or better than the current diesel truck.”
The panelists emphasized California as an example of MHD ZEV leadership, noting that more needed to be done to meet the aggressive ZEV adoption goals that many states are pursuing, with investment in charging infrastructure as a prime example.
“We are committed to zero-emission trucks and buses. Successfully building charging and fueling infrastructure is one of the key drivers for the successful adoption of zero-emission technologies. As states seek to increase deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicle technology zero, infrastructure must be built. lead and keep pace with vehicle deployment to lead a smooth technology transition,” said Kevin MaggaySenior Manager of Public Policy, Navistar.
Despite the challenges ahead, OEM representatives were confident that, through cooperation and collaboration between public and private stakeholders, the ultimate goal of a ZEV commercial truck fleet was achievable.
“From consumers to policymakers to OEMs, it’s clear that the nationwide transition to ZEVs is necessary and imminent,” said Kevin Otzenberger, Senior eMobility Product Marketing Analyst, Daimler Truck North America. “We need to learn from the earliest lessons this nascent transition has to offer in order to make nationwide ZEV deployment a long-term success.”
For more information about Partners for a Zero Emission Vehicle Future, visit www.pzevf.org or email [email protected].
SOURCE Partners for a future of zero-emission vehicles
