Battery of issues surrounds LARGE-VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION

Converting heavy-duty vehicles to battery power will require advances in weight reduction and thermal management.

Electrification has made major inroads in light trucks and compact off-highway machines, but its adoption in long-distance trucking and many large off-highway vehicles remains more promise than market-ready. Still, there is plenty of interest in replacing diesel and gasoline power units with battery power.

A flurry of activity in recent months highlights the high level of interest in heavy-duty electric trucks, though these actions also spotlight the lingering engineering challenges in electrifying larger vehicles. General Motors and startup truck maker Nikola teamed up in a deal worth $2 billion (www.sae.org/news/2020/09/hydrogen-fuel-cells-worldwide), but SEC investigations of Nikola executives emerged shortly after the announcement, raising questions about ongoing efforts to work together. Microsoft mogul Bill Gates started a debate when he questioned the viability of electrified large trucks, prompting fellow billionaire Elon Musk to fire back, saying the Tesla Semi remains set for 2021 shipments.