In a move to woo lawmakers to its products, a Class 8 Nikola Tre BEV was recently put on full display in Washington, D.C. The zero-emission truck manufacturer improved its national visibility by enlisting the support of key Washington insiders. But with millions of diesel-fueled rigs in operation, has the time of battery electric vehicles (BEV) arrived, or are lawmakers overzealously changing regulations?
Truckers operating diesel-fueled rigs are feeling pain at the pump at a time when older commercial motor vehicles in states such as California are being phased out. It’s a scenario in which upstart owner-operators may have purchased a high-mileage tractor-trailer. But as other states follow suit and stricter emissions rules come online, older trucks are effectively less viable. Still, Washington, D.C., saw Congressman Greg Stanton, Sen. Mark Kelly, and a contingent of renewable energy advocates gives speeches and smile during a photo-op in front of the Nikola Tre BEV.
“I’m grateful that leaders here in Washington have the opportunity to see first-hand the work a great Arizona company, Nikola, is doing to address the challenges of climate change–and see how cutting greenhouse gas emissions can also create great jobs. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and our work to make clean vehicles more competitive, this great technology will soon be on roadways nationwide,” Rep. Stanton of Arizona reportedly said.
Nikola’s Tre BEV was an early qualifier for California’s $150,000 credit system that essentially lowers the purchase price. It recently got the nod for the $185,000 New York Voucher Incentive Programs.
But on the other side of the coin, many owner-operators cannot afford a Class 8 BEV that can run as high as $400,000 with a maximum haul range of 350 miles. Despite the financial reality, DOT Sec. Pete Buttigieg reportedly plans to use the power of the purse to pressure states to enforce emissions regs that could sideline diesel trucks.
A similar phenomenon is transpiring in Canada, where Port of Vancouver truckers recently threatened to strike unless officials reverse a decision to phase out hundreds of older rigs. The same truckers both countries relied on upon to shepherd them through the pandemic are now feeling financial pressures that could force them out of the industry. An industry, mind you, that struggles with a driver shortage of 80,000 in the U.S. and 23,000 in Canada.
Although it’s clear and obvious neither country is prepared to pivot to zero-emissions rigs in the near future, the White House plans to build charging stations every 50 miles, if possible. That’s where Class 8 trucks would spend more than three hours powering up every 300-350 miles. And Nikola officials seem to believe Washington, D.C., lawmakers and agency chiefs are on board with a relatively prompt end of diesel trucks.
“Nikola plans to build a complete hydrogen ecosystem of production, distribution and dispensing and site-specific use case consultation on BEV charging solutions that will support zero-emissions commercial vehicles across the country,” Pablo Koziner, President of Nikola Energy, reportedly said. “Decarbonizing heavy-duty trucking and port operations is likely to be achieved more quickly by our fleet customers with the leadership and support of our federal representatives in Washington who can work with us to grow this new industry.”
Ready or not, here it comes.
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Yeah Right….
You can begin by subtracting 25-30% or more mileage when it gets below zero, like in the upper Midwest especially in MN, ND, SD when it can be below zero for weeks at a time from December to March, these engineers that design these things, seem to forget how extreme the weather gets in the continental US and Canada. Personally, I say, let these engineers drive a truck for 5 years in all conditions, before they are allowed to design one. Me, I will not be caught out on the road, in a MN blizzard in a BEV with below zero Temps, 50 MPH winds, and snowing like a Mother. At least with a Diesel engine, I can keep warm, and finally move after the plow rolls through.
If you are concerned about temperatures below freezing, could they run warmer lanes? At 50mph winds you should think about parking.
1 How much pollution is being created to mine the lithium, process all the necessary parts and chemicals to manufacture those huge truck batteries which take 3 hours to charge for every 300 miles?
2 How much will it cost to replace such batteries and what kind of an ecological impact these batteries will create at the end of battery life?
3 How much per KW will the charge cost and where is the electricity coming from for the increased demand when the grid can’t even supply electricity during the current high demand periods?
If you people that believe in this “zero emission” gobbledygook had a half of a functioning brain, then you’d realize that the whole thing is nothing but a gimmick to make the 0.1% of the world’s most rich and powerful even richer and more powerful and at the same time starve to death the rest of us 7.5 billion slaves and surfs.
None of this crap has anything to do with any damn climate !
This is utter insanity !
So, you gotta spend at least 3 hours on every 300 miles to recharge the batteries of that insanely expensive pile of taxpayer subsidized crap which uses few tons of batteries made with lithium and other extremely toxic compounds which create an insane amount of pollution to produce, then they’ll be an ecological nightmare to deal with after these batteries become unusable?
Folks, this world has become an insane asylum ran by the inmates !
Damn sure nobody with half a brain could argue with you. I wonder how many in congress have stock in these EV companies?
Using the Solendra playbook, Nikola execs and shareholders of the IPO (initial public offering) and members of Congress trading on the insider information will make a lot of money after the pump and dump scheme plays out.