By Reagan Payne

Truck developers Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) and Cummins, Inc. are making planet-saving strides towards fossil fuel alternatives for the trucking industry. These developments in Class 8 trucks will drastically reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

Within the transport sector, road transport is the largest contributor to global warming, according to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Following the industry trend to clean up their act and the air, many HireMaster clients are playing a key role in implementing these engine solutions.

In late 2018, Daimler Trucks North America developed a battery-powered truck design on 38 different trucks. Collectively these electric trucks have just clocked half a million miles in real-world route coverage. J.B. Hunt Transport Service Inc., Knight-Swift Transportation, and Schneider National Inc. are currently testing and giving the company feedback on these electric trucks.

“The more miles our trucks operate in real-world operations, the more knowledge we gain,” said Richard Howard, DTNA senior vice president, on-highway sales and marketing.

If all goes according to plan, the company will begin serial production of this electric fleet in 2022. It hopes fleet testers will become buyers once the fleet is officially rolled out.

Also following the clean energy trend, Cummins, Inc. is using funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a hydrogen fuel cell engine. This will serve as a zero-emissions alternative to the diesel fuel currently being used by most of the transportation industry.

“This vehicle will feature our next-generation fuel cell configuration and provides a springboard for us to advance our hydrogen technology for line haul trucks,” said Amy Davis, president of Cummins’ business segment.

This design will be tested by Werner Enterprises, already a prominent leader in reducing emissions in the trucking industry.

“This integration aligns with our Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives as we continually look for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Scott Reed, Werner senior vice president of fleet purchasing and maintenance.

Testing this product will allow the company to gain a full picture of how fuel cells perform over challenging road conditions in hot and cold climates.

In addition to using the hydrogen fuel cell engine, Werner’s first electric-powered truck is the result of a partnership with Peterbilt, Meritor, and TransPower. It can haul up to 80,000 pounds; it is 100% electric and releases zero emissions.

“Werner continues to be at the front edge of technology, and we are committed to finding alternative ways to keep our trucks environmentally friendly while using renewable energy,” said President and CEO Derek Leathers.

Competition breeds innovation and that is exactly what our constantly warming world needs.

Reagan Payne is a staff writer at Wright Media. She can be reached at rpayne@wrightmediacorp.com