Driving trends in commercial electric vehicle spec’ing and service
Since the introduction of electric vehicles more than 125 years ago, battery technology and vehicle service have come a long way. While the mass production of Henry Ford’s Model T played a role in the initial decline of electric vehicles, the interest of this alternative fuel vehicle has ebbed and flowed over the years.
Fueling infrastructure and vehicle performance for today’s internal combustion engines have played a large role in battery electric vehicles taking a back seat to traditional gasoline and diesel fueled vehicles.
More recently, however, there has been renewed interest in continued advancements in battery electric vehicle technology. While the development and adoption of electric vehicles in the commercial market has lagged behind passenger vehicles, it’s beginning to look more and more like a viable option for some U.S. fleets.
Electric vehicles can improve upon a number of operational efficiencies when compared to internal combustion engines. Benefits include addressing environmental and sustainable efforts to reduce emissions, improvements in fuel efficiency and lower fuel usage costs, improvements in driver comforts and decreases in maintenance and service cost and frequency.
But, electric vehicles are best suited for a limited number of commercial vehicle operations at present. Challenges in vehicle and battery design, charging requirements and fueling infrastructure, and updates in maintenance and service could all be considered barriers of entry. There is change on the horizon, as the industry begins to address and improve upon these issues.
Current commercial EV adoption
As with any fleet asset purchase, the decision to spec electric vehicles is dependent on a total cost of ownership analysis. This takes into account not only the initial purchase price of the vehicle, but the fueling requirements and fuel availability, vehicle uptime, maintenance costs, vehicle lifecycle and application.
Currently, planned and predictable urban routes have proven to be the most optimal use case for electric vehicles. This includes routes with limited mileage and a lot of stop-and-go traffic such as delivery and refuse collection, or longer idle times as is the case with intermodal or drayage operations.
“Trucks used for urban delivery and transport generally run in much more predictable and pre-defined patterns than personal passenger cars,” says Florian Laudan, head of communications for Daimler Trucks Asia. “For delivery or garbage truck, routes and driving times are planned in advance. This makes it very easy for fleet(s) to decide on charging locations, timing, etc.”
Daimler is the parent company for Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC). MFTBC currently manufactures the company’s all-electric medium duty truck, the FUSO eCanter.
Current electric vehicle commercial applications focus on the fixed urban routes mentioned above due to the ability to employ regenerative braking in stop-and-go traffic.
“Through regenerative braking, every time you hit the brake on the vehicle it is storing energy,” Eric Foellmer, director of marketing for XL, explains. “When you accelerate, it is then transferring that energy back into the drivetrain and acceleration process.”
Previously known as XL Hybrids, XL is a provider of electrification upfitting for Class 2 through 6 vehicles.
Regenerative braking works by turning the vehicle’s motor into a generator, allowing the system to recover energy as the vehicle slows down. Some of this recovered energy is then sent back to the vehicle’s battery, providing additional charge and extended range every time the regenerative braking system is used.
Electric vehicles will still have traditional drum or disc brakes for emergency stopping situations, but for general stop-and-go traffic, regenerative brakes will be the primary system used to slow the vehicle.
It is important to note the regenerative braking system requires some driver training and slight operational differences to maximize the range of the vehicle.
“In order to maximize regenerative braking, you need to be aware of your opportunities to brake ahead of time,” BYD’s Jack Symington, project manager, trucks division, explains. “Coming into the stoplight very slowly and braking the whole time is much better for the battery then accelerating and slamming on the brakes at the last second.”
BYD focuses on providing zero-emission energy solutions for transportation markets.
For those who have seen or driven an electric vehicle previously, one other noticeable difference is the lack of noise generated from the vehicle itself. With nearly silent operation, some manufacturers have considered engine noise simulators and pedestrian horns to alert surrounding people or vehicles of the vehicle’s presence.
This quieter vehicle operation can be a benefit during route operation, especially in urban environments.
“Refuse trucks can start their route earlier in the day, and finish earlier in the day because of noise constraints in municipalities,” Symington says. “You can’t have a very loud diesel refuse truck picking something up at 4:30 or 5 AM. But an electric truck is very quiet, so they can start the route in the early morning without disturbing residents.”
The types of routes mentioned above all operate on a depot-based model, where they will return to the same location at the end of each shift. This is required of current electric commercial vehicle applications, due to the lack of national refueling infrastructure.
Presumably, the expansion of this infrastructure, coupled with continued advancements in battery technology, will pave the way for commercial battery electric vehicle adoption in other markets.
Battery basics
Most vehicle batteries today are constructed using lithium metals. Vehicle battery technology has vastly improved over the last five to 10 years, both with the continued improvements to the battery’s energy density – which is the amount of stored energy compared to the size of the battery – and the cost of the batteries themselves.
“The improvements in battery capacity are coming with improvements in energy density,” Symington says. “Which basically means, how many kilowatt-hours can you put in one kilogram of battery?”
The price has dropped considerably, even since 2010. A Bloomberg New Energy Finance report indicated in 2010 the average price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) was about $1,000. In 2016, that average price dropped by 73 percent, to just $273 per kWh. This can be attributed to battery technology improvements, economies of scale and the increased competition among battery manufacturers.
As a hypothetical example, a 60 kWh battery in 2010 would previously cost about $60,000. Compare this to 2016 prices per kWh, where the same battery pack would cost an estimated $16,380. As a matter of perspective on cost, passenger vehicles today have a range of battery sizes, from about 40 kWh for the Nissan Leaf to 100 kWh for the Tesla Model S. Compare that to the estimated battery size for the all-electric Peterbilt 579 on display at ACT Expo in April this year, which has a battery storage capacity between 350 and 440 kWh. And, some have done calculations estimating the all-electric Class 8 Tesla Semi, based on quoted specs, will require 800 to 1,000 kWh. This plays a significant role in the cost of the vehicle. It’s argued that acceptance and widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles, and more specifically heavy duty commercial vehicles, will happen only after the price is comparable with diesels.
It should be noted the life of the battery pack is a concern as part of the total cost of ownership. When a battery can no longer charge past 80 percent capacity, it’s considered end of life as far as vehicle operation is concerned. On average, electric vehicle manufacturers advise battery life can range from eight to 10 years, currently.
“The development of batteries moves at a rapid pace, similar to micro-processors in the 1990s,” Daimler’s Laudan says. “Cost, size and power are improving fast.”
Capacity and range
Length of time to charge and distance to next charge for the vehicle’s battery are both major considerations when evaluating the use of an electric vehicle. Range is most widely considered miles per one charge of the battery pack.
Vehicle range varies considerably dependent on battery capacity, class of vehicle, application and payload. Examples of current average range include about 50 miles until recharge for Class 8 refuse trucks, and 125 to 150 miles until next charge for pickup truck or delivery van applications.
Payload can dictate the range of the vehicle as well. For instance, if a pickup truck on a jobsite ends up hauling 2,000 lbs of additional materials, it can impact how far the vehicle can travel.
Miles per gallon-equivalent is typically used to compare fuel economy between traditional internal combustion engine and electric vehicles. It is also used for hybrid vehicle fuel economy calculations.
When talking exclusively about battery capacity, however, the standard reference is kilowatt-hours per mile, or kWh/mile.
“This number does vary a lot depending on the operation, but it usually is about 1-1/2 to 2 [kWh/mile] range,” BYD’s Symington says.
Setting fleet expectations is critical to the positive reception to electric vehicle technology, says Larry Brennan, CEO of Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing (AVM).
AVM currently manufacturers a mid-sized all-electric shuttle bus, with plans to expand to different areas of transportation. The company developed a battery technology called lithium-titanate, which is designed to last longer and charge much more quickly (about 10 minutes, according to Brennan) without impacting battery life.
“Do you really need range or endurance? This is where I think the market has been done a great disservice,” Brennan says. “We’ve been told in the market that electric has an ‘x’ range, just like diesel ... When [AVM] focused on it, we said forget about absolute range for point-to-point and focus on duration of service and time on duty.”
Infrastructure and vehicle charging
Charging times play a role in the uptime of an electric vehicle. While many current adoption models follow an urban out-and-back design, more widespread adoption for commercial applications – particularly for heavy duty regional and long haul – will require an expanded refueling infrastructure. This means having more charging stations available, having a standardization in the charging station plug design, and having faster charging options to refuel more quickly.
“There may be some limiting factors with charge times, but the cost of the chargers themselves – the actual hardware – is dropping as electric trucks become more and more commercialized,” says BYD’s Symington. “As utility companies get more familiar with electric vehicles, the actual installation of the chargers or upgrading of the infrastructure to bring more power to the site will become more and more commonplace.”
Vehicle charging stations in the U.S. must adhere to the SAE J1772 standard. This standard dictates how a charging station connects, communicates and charges an electric vehicle.
“There has to be a ‘brain’ communicating between the source of the electricity and the charger and the recipient; something that says, ‘Okay, I’m a Tesla, I need this.’ And a handshake so the charger says 'I know exactly how much to give you.' There’s an exchange of information that occurs,” says AVM’s Brennan.
Electric vehicles can be charged with a standard 120V plug – considered Level 1 charging. But this charge would take an extremely long time (about 24 hours for a passenger vehicle). Level 2 chargers are connected to a 240V outlet to provide faster charge. Today, many passenger vehicle owners purchase this additional charger for their homes, and plug in the vehicle overnight for a full charge in the morning. Both of these charging levels can take hours to recharge the vehicle battery.
Another charging option currently being developed, known as Level 3 DC fast charging, would provide electric vehicle users the ability to more quickly charge the vehicle’s battery – in as little as 10 to 30 minutes.
To address the need for a standardized method of fast charging, the SAE recently added the Combination Charging System international battery charging standard, known as CCS 2.0, as part of the J1772 standard. The infrastructure for DC fast charging stations is in its infancy, but will have a big impact on the adoption of electric vehicles.
Hybrid versus full electric
Hybrid vehicles is a broad term, but generally refers to having two different energy systems on the vehicle. Most often today, hybrid vehicles feature an internal combustion engine, like gasoline or diesel, and an electric battery.
“The challenge with hybrids is you’re using two different technologies that are not complementary,” AVM’s Brennan says. “Neither can do 100 percent, and the cost and weight and performance penalty means that either one would be better alone.”
Though, there are some compelling reasons to adopt this technology when range is uncertain while still being mindful of fuel efficiency. (see “Bridging the gap with hybrid electric battery technologies” for more).
Because of the varied distances and payload for pickup trucks, fleets requiring this vehicle type and looking to alternative fuels are more readily adopting hybrid technology, versus spec’ing a fully electric vehicle.
“Given what people expect out of a modern day pickup truck, you expect it to do literally anything. That’s why we thought it should be a range extender,” says Steve Burns, founder and CEO for Workhorse Group. “If that battery gets low, you have the internal combustion engine tied to a generator that would charge that battery backup.”
Workhorse designs and develops electric technologies for the transportation, delivery and aviation markets.
While Workhorse builds its all-electric vehicles from the ground up, it does partner with suppliers like BMW for the internal combustion engine portion of its hybrid vehicles.
“For pickup trucks, when the person is hauling 6,000 pounds behind it, I just need an insurance policy so I’m never stuck [and the work will get done],” Burns says.
Often considered a bridge technology, hybrid electric vehicles provide many of the benefits of a fully electric vehicle, like fuel efficiency, while addressing current concerns of fully electric, especially issues with range anxiety and refueling infrastructure.
Electric vehicle maintenance and service
Medium duty electric trucks have been field tested by fleets for a few years, compared to the very recent introductions of heavy duty (Class 7 and 8) electric vehicles with no substantial real-world field testing at present.
While there is limited real-world feedback on maintenance for electric commercial vehicles, organizations like the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) have conducted research on emerging technologies to gain a better understanding of what the industry can anticipate in the future. This includes the NACFE Electric Trucks Guidance Report, released earlier this year, which provides information on the viability of Class 3 through 8 commercial battery electric vehicle use when compared to traditional internal combustion engines.
The more readily field tested medium duty (Class 3 through 6) electric vehicles have provided some real-world feedback on service. The NACFE Electric Truck Guidance Report suggests that remote diagnostics, breakdown recovery and 10-year service life for electric trucks are all currently on par with that of diesels. However, the ability for service centers to handle electric truck maintenance as readily as diesels may not be comparable until 2025.
Adoption and field testing for Class 7 and 8 heavy duty electric trucks is farther out. As such, it will be a number of years before comparable service and maintenance practices between heavy duty diesel versus fully electric trucks are seen. NACFE’s Guidance Report estimates that by 2030, service centers and breakdown recovery efforts for heavy duty electric trucks will be on par with diesels. But within the next two years, heavy duty electric truck remote diagnostic capabilities will be similar to diesel trucks.
While NACFE’s report predicts the functionality to access remote diagnostics will be readily accessible in the short-term, utilizing this information in the shop – and more specifically, for remote service - may take the industry longer to adjust to.
“Remote servicing will be a concern, somewhat similar to that seen when wide base tires were introduced and roadside service was not yet universally available,” according to the NACFE Electric Vehicles Full Report. “Natural gas powered commercial vehicles have also had this risk, as not all service centers are equipped for natural gas servicing. Servicing infrastructure availability may be a factor in operational deployment of electric commercial vehicles.”
Currently in the test phase for many fleets, maintenance is handled through contracted services or through dedicated manufacturer technicians who will provide remote diagnostic analysis and alert the fleet to any issues with the vehicles.
“BYD is certainly looking into certifying maintenance partners for our warranty work,” Symington says. “It’s something that, as of now, the industry is so young, that we’re approaching it in a way that we know isn’t super scalable but we want to get it right first, then adjust accordingly so we can scale it.” He confirms much of the service handled currently on BYD electric vehicles is for diagnostic issues.
Commercial electric vehicle manufacturers continue to work out this process. Symington foresees a contracted service provider still helping the fleet for some electric vehicle-specific and warranty work.
“We’re working with community colleges and trade schools in the area to have high-voltage technicians trained,” Symington says. “A high-voltage technician would be a different person than a fleet maintenance technician.”
Workhorse has partnered with Ryder System to provide maintenance service for Workhorse all-electric and hybrid range extender vehicles.
With regards to the powertrain, obvious differences in service for electric vehicles means service will no longer be required on engines, fueling systems and emissions systems.
“You don’t have a transmission anymore; you don’t have an internal combustion engine with reciprocating mass and pistons, camshafts and things that break,” says AVM’s Brennan. “You don’t have oil, and you don’t have transmission fluid, all which have lines and filters, hoses, fittings. All those are types of things that put vehicles on the side of the road.”
In the future, as more widespread adoption of electric vehicles continues, maintenance facilities may consider hiring a dedicated technician trained to handle these high-voltage systems and complete remote diagnostics for these vehicles.
However, while there are some inherent differences with the systems of an electric vehicle, maintenance will be similar for areas including, but not limited to: body and cab work, HVAC, vehicle lighting, tires and wheels, vehicle safety systems and brakes and braking systems.
“All of those basic consumable parts of maintenance are going to be very similar if not identical – they may have a different location on the (electric) truck, but the process will be the same,” Symington explains.
From a preventative maintenance standpoint, there will still be requirements to ensure the vehicle is operating at peak performance and to help avoid any otherwise unexpected breakdowns.
“It doesn’t mean that things aren’t going to break or you’re not going to need preventative maintenance,” Brennan adds. “It means the types of things you’re going to be doing as a technician are going to be different, and in a lot of ways, a lot better because you’re going to be using new technologies and cutting edge stuff that’s pretty exciting to work with.”
As previously mentioned, this will certainly include diagnostics, which will play an ever-critical role in the regular tasks of a technician.
According to the NACFE Electric Vehicles Full Report, when it comes to service skills, “[t]roubleshooting and repair of electric commercial vehicles will change the shop skill sets, with a greater emphasis on software and electronics than on mechanical skills, although both will still be required.”
The future
“Batteries are more than half the cost of the electric vehicle,” says AVM’s Brennan. “Until the numbers come down substantially, there’s still a tiny number of electric vehicles compared to gas and diesel vehicles.”
Improvements in charging infrastructure and in battery technology will dictate how quickly both passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles adopt battery electric vehicle technology.
“A lot of the shorter range – any truck that is driving under 150 miles per day – there will be a lot more of those electrified in the next five years,” says BYD’s Symington. “Any truck where you’re parking it in the same spot every night is a perfect case for electrification.”
As costs come down, scalability for charging stations and vehicles will become more viable. In addition, traditional internal combustion engine vehicle manufacturers who enter the electric vehicle market will have an impact on more widespread adoption.
There is no doubt electric powertrains – along with other emerging technologies such as autonomous driving and vehicle connectivity – will fundamentally change the ways in which these vehicles are driven and serviced.
“People that adapt to that and embrace it and make the technology work for them will have a huge competitive advantage over those that don’t adapt or don’t see the opportunities,” says AVM’s Brennan. “Just look at any other technology – whether it was fax machines, or cell phones. Putting our heads in the sand won’t change things. We have to learn to embrace it and make it work for us.”
