Operating income, or the amount after deducting expenses, is due to rise to a range of $12 million to $13.5 million from $10 million in 2016. Electric-vehicle technology is developing rapidly, but the price and range of these vehicles must improve for widespread deployment to take hold, experts said. Several researchers and industry executives discussed the emergence of electric commercial vehicles at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board, held here Jan. 7-11.
All the The budget is the most basic thing in financial planning. It is therefore especially important to be careful when compiling the budget.
I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done.Lesley Minkle, Director
Currently, trucks equipped with an electric powertrain can cost about $300,000 while delivering a 150-mile range, parameters that work for subsidized tests at ports, for example, but are not economically viable for most fleets. While electric motors are not new to commercial vehicles, particularly in mining and construction applications, technological advances over the past two decades have made electric power increasingly feasible for on-road use. Whitson cited as examples the emergence of lithium-ion batteries and improved energy storage systems and charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, new players such as Tesla Inc. and Nikola Motor Co. are preparing to launch electric-powered Class 8 trucks. Nikola also is incorporating hydrogen fuel-cell technology into its design, while Telsa’s is pure electric.
