The long, slow march into all-electric trucks is underway and if my recent 1,000-mile test drive in the Ford F-150 Lighting is any indication, there’s a lot of impressive things these battery-powered workhorses can do – and there’s a lot more that needs to be done in terms of making a smooth transition into the demanding world of commercial fleets.
First of all, we need more data, which means OEMs need to get more electric trucks and vans into the hands of reporters and fleets alike for testing.
On that note, it was good to hear that two Freightliner eCascadias recently made their way to the cold North to join the fleet at Meijer, a longtime retailer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Keep in mind that up until now, eCascadias have been operating in California in areas where temperatures are typically mild. But in Grand Rapids? Here the Class 8 electrics will be up against much colder weather. The average temperature there in January last year was a chilling 28°F according to the National Weather Service.
Data from reporters and EV owners has already shown that freezing temperatures significantly impact lithium-ion battery pack performance. But as the Department of Energy pointed out, most range lost in freezing temperatures (in this case 20°F fuel economy testing) was owed to HVAC use.
“For electric vehicles (EVs), fuel economy can drop roughly 39% in mixed city and highway driving, and range can drop by 41%,” the DOE article Fuel Economy in Cold Weather states. “About two-thirds of the extra energy consumed is used to heat the cabin. When the cabin heater is not used, EV fuel economy is 8% lower at 20°F than at 75°F. Driving range is about 12% lower.”
