Is electric truck a viable alternative to diesel truck in long-haul operation?

This study investigates the feasibility of long-haul electric truck (e-truck) adoption as a competitive alternative to diesel trucks from a truck carrier's point of view, which can shed light on policy to boost e-truck adoption for policy makers. Specifically, we propose a total operating cost optimization model called an e-truck routing and driver scheduling problem with coordinated charging schedule (eTRDSP-CS) to find optimal charging schedules – when and where to charge – for long-haul e-trucks. We then apply it to four interstate corridors of various distances in the U.S. highway system and compare the operating cost and energy use with the diesel truck counterparts. The results show that while it is technologically feasible to facilitate long-haul e-truck operation on the interstate highways, the prolonged journey time (between 16 and 32 %) due to charging and the high initial adoption cost remain key obstacles for adoption from a fleet carrier's point of view. Every hour of revenue time requires an additional 19 to 25 min for charging (non-revenue time). On the other hand, long-haul e-truck provides over 43 % energy saving from diesel truck, which has significant implications for environmental sustainability.