The next wave of electric vehicles is coming — and it could be buses, semis and other large trucks
CBC
Electric cars are increasingly common on streets and highways across the country, but spotting a battery-powered truck is rare, especially anything larger than a pickup.
Slowly, that's starting to change.
This week, Calgary-based Enmax showed off a pair of new service trucks that workers will use to help keep the power on in the city. Enmax says it's the first utility in Canada to pilot medium-duty electric trucks.
When it comes to having large trucks running on batteries, the country is basically starting from scratch; the vehicles are scarce and often require their own industrial-sized network of charging stations.
For Enmax, the pair of trucks are expected to each save the utility 4,300 litres of diesel a year.
"The total cost of ownership of one of these medium-duty electric vehicles will be 50 per cent less from a maintenance and operating perspective than one of our combustion engine vehicles. So, substantial savings," said Jana Mosley, president of Enmax Power, which wants its entire fleet of about 400 vehicles to be electric by 2030.
Bison Transport ran its own test last summer with a pair of electric semis for two months, delivering cargo between Delta, B.C., and Washington state.
There were some logistical challenges because of the pandemic and crossing the border, but the company said the pilot project was successful.
At this point, even if trucking companies want to go electric, it can be challenging and expensive.
"The availability of these vehicles, that's the main issue right now," said Mike Gomes, vice-president of maintenance at Bison Transport, pointing to how several manufacturers are still only developing their vehicles.
"They are not cheap vehicles, they are approximately double the price of a current vehicle," he said.
There's also the need to build charging stations suitable for the size of these vehicles, which Gomes said can take several months to plan and build.
Even if customers get charged an added premium to have their freight moved by zero-emission trucks, Gomes said the demand is there.
"Absolutely, there's a high want and need for this type of technology in our industry."
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