Kenworth Electric Trucks

Kenworth has been hitting the headlines with its zero-emission electric trucks. And those trucks are now at Kenworth Northeast in Buffalo, NY. Next week we’ll take a closer look at the trucks with some video walkarounds. In the meantime, here are some things to know about the trucks and the industry changes ahead.

In January, Paccar hosted a Kenworth Zero Emissions Test Drive Event, highlighting innovations in both battery-electric and fuel-cell truck technology. Trucks on-site included the heady duty T680E and T680FCEV, and medium-duty K270E and K370E. Click here to read more about the event.

The electric trucks are designed for local pickup and delivery, drayage, and short regional haul applications. The T680FCEV is the fuel cell option, better suited for long-range applications with a 350-mile range, 470 HP, 70 MPH top speed, and 15-minute refuel time.

Electric trucks in the commercial trucking space are no longer a far-off reality. NY and several other states have adopted California’s CARB and ACT (Advanced Clean Truck) rules, regulating the transition to zero-emissions vehicles. At this time, the goal is to have 100% of medium and heavy-duty vehicles available for sale or lease be zero emissions by 2045, where feasible. Click here to learn more.

The transition to zero emissions in commercial trucking is intended to start in 2025. Regulations will require a growing percentage of trucks sold are zero emissions, reaching 30%-50% by 2030 and 40%-75% by 2035. The are several challenges to address on the way to meeting these goals, including current global supply chain struggles and infrastructure to support the charging and maintenance of this new technology.

An important differentiator for Kenworth is that Paccar battery technology is specifically designed for commercial vehicles with 10+ years of expected use. It also does not rely on cobalt, making it human rights and eco-friendly.

Industry competitors are using NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) batteries, similar to passenger cars, which will likely need replacement after a few years. More than 70% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo where severe human rights issues have been documented in mining operations, including child labor and fatalities due to low safety standards.