OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Zero-Emission MHD Vehicles 101
Today, there are over 150 zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (ZE MHDVs) models available from more than 40 manufacturers. Increased vehicle availability and technology advancements have allowed the market to serve diverse fleet duty cycles and freight routes.
While no two fleets are exactly alike, certain steps for incorporating electric vehicles into a MHDV fleet will be constant. The most important phase is planning and assessment. The timeline for these steps varies between fleets, as it is dependent on many factors including the selected manufacturer and dealership, vehicle availability, utility expertise and assistance, etc. An estimated timeline can be created with your utility and dealership during the planning stage. Steps may look as follows:
Planning and procurement
Understanding vehicle electrification projects may include relying on internal expertise, hiring a consultant, or utilizing free technical assistance resources. Projects are multi-faceted and include decisions and actions in the following categories.
| Identify vehicles/use cases that are easily electrified | |
| Talk to dealers and manufacturers | |
| Have a site assessment conducted by a qualified electrical contractor to determine existing electric capacity and necessary upgrades | |
| Engage utility for upgrade planning | |
| Apply for available federal and state vehicle or infrastructure incentives (see our Funding and Incentives page for more information) |
Technical Assistance Resources
Deploy first vehicle |
|
|---|---|
| Train drivers and mechanics (training is often available through the vehicle dealerships or manufacturers) | |
| Track maintenance and fuel spending | |
Apply learnings and expand electric fleet |
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| Enjoy your new zero-emission vehicles | |
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles include a diverse range of vehicle types, including everything from large pickup trucks to semi-trucks.
Using the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) definitions, Medium-duty vehicles have a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) between 8,501 lbs. and 26,000 lbs., while heavy-duty vehicles have a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or higher. Figure 1 shows these weight classes and commonly associated vehicle types:
Figure 1. Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, from A Roadmap to Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles in New Jersey
There are currently two main zero-emission fuel types: electricity and sustainably produced hydrogen. Electricity is used in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), resulting in zero tailpipe emissions. Hydrogen is used in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), producing water as a tailpipe emission. Both technologies are considered zero-emission vehicles due to the lack of tailpipe emissions. How well each fuel type fits a fleets’ duty cycle depends on certain key specifications. Duty cycles describe both the vehicle (by type and class) and how it is operated, including typical miles traveled, type of use (local vs. highway), and fuel consumption.
Battery Electric Vehicles
BEVs are powered by an on-board battery which is charged using electricity from the grid. Nearly all major truck manufacturers and suppliers have begun offering electric trucks or have announced plans to do so.
Key consideration of BEVs include:
Range
The maximum distance a vehicle can travel on a full charge
Charging time
*see our Charging and Infrastructure page for more information
For a Level 2 (AC) Charger: Typically 4-12 hours depending on the vehicle class and battery size
For a DC Fast Charger: Typically 1-5 hours depending on the vehicle class and battery size
Payload
Measure of utility, e.g. towing power or passenger capacity
Energy Capacity
Maximum energy a vehicle can support through its battery, usually in kilowatt hours . This impacts charging infrastructure installation as batteries with larger energy capacity generally have longer range but also longer charging times. With high energy capacity, fleets may want to explore the feasibility of DC fast charger installation.
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
The cost paid by the fleet over the lifespan of the vehicle, including purchase price and ongoing maintenance costs.
TCO Calculators*
- PG&E TCO calculator for MHDVs
- NAFE downloadable spreadsheet
- Electric School Bus Initiative school bus TCO calculator
*check assumptions to ensure they are accurate
These factors can vary depending on vehicle type, use, and weight class.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
FCEVs run on hydrogen fuel, either liquid or gaseous. A primary concern with hydrogen is that less than one percent of the hydrogen fuel produced globally is considered to be “green”.
Range
The maximum distance a vehicle can travel on a full charge
Fueling time
How long it takes to refill hydrogen tank, dependent on voltage level, dispenser type, and ambient temperature
Payload
Measure of utility, e.g. towing power or passenger capacity
Fueling costs
According to the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership, the average fuel price for a light-duty FCEV is $16.51 per kilogram. At the moment, many manufacturers are offering three free years of fuel as a purchase incentive.
Fueling availability
Public hydrogen refill stations are limited and primarily in California. There are currently no publicly accessible stations in New Jersey.
Zero-Emission Vehicle Performance
Some misconceptions with transitioning to zero-emission vehicles include limited driving range, concern about the performance of batteries in cold weather, operational complications from charging, concerns that vehicles aren’t actually better for the environment, and high vehicle costs.
Response: Popular MHD BEV models all have a range of at least 100 miles, with many having 150-300 miles, and some now even above 400 miles (for example, the new Hino L and M e-series). It is important to note that cargo weight, driving route, and other factors can affect battery range; contact vehicle manufacturers to discuss specific range estimates for your operations. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, fuel cell electric vehicles frequently have ranges at or exceeding 300 miles and can fuel in five minutes.
Response: Fleets will be using both public and private charging to execute their operations. Depot charging will make up a vast majority of intracity and regional transportation, including local vocational vehicles that domicile while not in operation, whereas public high-power charging will be necessary for long-haul trucking.
The region’s public charging network is rapidly expanding with over 2,750 Level 2 and 1,246 DC Fast Charger ports in New Jersey. Drivers can use the Alternative Fuel Data Center’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator to easily identify the nearest electric vehicle or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging stations, or map their routes in advance to determine where to stop for charging.
While not all charging stations are designed to accommodate the unique needs of MHDVs, New Jersey is currently working to implement two multi-state efforts to deploy medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle charging infrastructure for freight electrification. Under the Clean Corridor Coalition, NJDEP is leading the effort to install charging infrastructure along the I-95 corridor and adjacent roads from Connecticut to Maryland. Under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure program, NJDEP will work with agencies in Maryland and Pennsylvania to deploy truck charging depots along key interstate corridors, including I-81 and I-78.
Response: Cold weather can adversely affect electric vehicle batteries, however, in many cases this effect is minor. For example, the city of Chicago is able to successfully operate electric buses for transit despite the cold weather conditions (In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winter’s challenges | AP News). Much of the impact on battery life is from the power used to heat the vehicle for driver comfort and warming the engine for operation. Consumer Reports’ manager of auto testing and insights had the following suggestions (Cold Temperatures Affect an Electric Vehicle’s Driving Range – Consumer Reports):
- Precondition the cabin and battery while still connected to the charger
- Precondition the battery before connecting to a DC fast charger
- Lower cabin temperature
Response: Powering vehicles via electricity is cleaner than powering them via diesel fuel. Based on New Jersey’s electricity mix, BEVs emit an average of 87% fewer CO2e emissions per year than gasoline vehicles (Alt. Fuels Data Center, 2024). As the State’s electricity mix shifts increasingly to renewable energy, the emissions benefits of BEVs will continue to increase.
The emissions reduction potential of FCEVs depends largely on the way hydrogen is produced. Currently, less than one percent of the hydrogen fuel produced globally is considered to be “green”. This is because the fuel is more cost effective when produced from natural gas than when it is produced through electrolysis. The supply of “green hydrogen” is expected to increase globally in the coming years.
Response: Power outages are always a possibility, regardless of grid advancements and fidelity. Fleets should consider contingencies for maintaining operations in the event of a long-term power outage. Battery-electric vehicles can be charged using alternate solutions such as battery energy storage, on-site solar generation, capacitors, flywheels, compressed air energy storage, pumped storage, hydrogen storage, and heating and cooling energy storage.
Response: While the upfront costs of zero-emission vehicles are often higher their gas or diesel counterparts, fleets can experience savings over the lifetime of the vehicle through reduced fuel and maintenance costs, with medium- and heavy-duty vehicles estimated to be cheaper than internal combustion vehicles by 2030 [ICF-Truck-Report_Final_December-2019.pdf (caletc.com)]. Several factors increase the likelihood of experiencing total cost of ownership savings:
- High average annual mileage: Because electric vehicles offer significant fuel savings, highly used vehicles are most likely to produce savings overtime.
- Purchasing from an established manufacturer (such as Ford, Freightliner, Mack, etc.): Electric vehicles produced by a manufacturer, rather than an upfitter, are most likely to have cost parity with traditional models because they do not have to factor in the cost of the upfitting process. New zero-emission vehicles and concepts are announced often, so the options for buying a vehicle from an OEM are increasing.
- Take advantage of external funding: Financial incentives are offered through the State and federal government agencies, as well as utility providers. For a list of these incentive programs, see the Funding and Incentives webpage.
Response: Ze MHDV deployments are currently skyrocketing. The market experienced a 546% year-over-year growth in 2023, with over 30,000 vehicles on the road as of December 2023, including over 2,324 in New Jersey. Zero-emission vehicles are available across all medium- and heavy-duty weight classes and types. The Zero-Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI) Tool is a database of worldwide commercially available offerings of electric or hydrogen fuel cell medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs). Use the tool to compare models’ range, payload, energy capacity, incentive availability, and more to understand which models can meet your fleet’s needs.
New Jersey adopted the Advance Clean Trucks Rule (ACT) in December 2021, which is based on California regulations intended to accelerate a large-scale transition to zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles. Part of ACT requires manufacturers to sell zero-emission trucks at an increasing percentage of their annual sale from 2025-2035, which will lead to increased model availability and cost parity with traditional gasoline or diesel models.