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CALSTART: 1,215 MD and HD zero-emission trucks deployed in US; > 60% believed non-operational; > 140,000 more on order

CALSTART has published an inventory of Class 2b-8 zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in the US: “Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks.” The report provides insight on ZET market trends as the industry prepares for an injection of federal funding for charging infrastructure, multiple states implement clean truck regulations, and California prepares to release an additional $873 million in purchase incentives for commercial vehicles and infrastructure.

The report finds that as of December 2021, 1,215 ZETs have been deployed in the United States across more than 163 fleets. By comparison, Europe has deployed more than 2,300 MHD ZETs as of 2021, and China deployed more than 20,000 MHD ZETs as of 2021. As of late 2020, there were roughly 23 million Class 2b-8 trucks registered and in-use on US roads—meaning deployed ZETs make up just 0.005% of the registered MHD truck population.

The actual number of deployed vehicles is still quite low, and we do expect to see shifts in delivery dates and actual delivery of those on order as the market players continue to evolve. However, the numbers demonstrate that there is demand that will support significant growth in the industry. CALSTART will continue to track and monitor these developments so the industry and decision-makers have access to the trending numbers.

—Kevin Walkowicz, senior director of truck programs at CALSTART

CALSTART’s Zero Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI) tool captures details of available trucks in the market. As of December 2021, ZETI shows availability of more than 145 different ZET models from more than 30 manufacturers. Most of the available truck models are medium-duty (MD) (Class 3-6) and are currently offered by manufacturers providing retrofit propulsion systems into existing chassis.

Electric vehicle (EV)-only manufacturers and manufacturers who currently offer conventionally fueled trucks are increasing model availability and introducing these into the market at a fast pace. The report shows that the highest number of deployed ZETs in 2021 were also MD trucks.

Current ZET deployments are concentrated in states that have supportive policies and regulations (California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois) or have received federal funds for ZET purchases (Texas, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Massachusetts). The report notes that medium-duty trucks, cargo vans, and medium-duty step vans are the most frequent type of ZET deployed, accounting for 75% of vehicles deployed as of 2021.

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Source: CALSTART


The manufacturer with the largest share of vehicles is Smith EV with 465 vehicles deployed between 2011-2014. Smith EV, however, suspended production of its electric trucks in 2014, CALSTART notes. In 2017, the company suspended all operations indefinitely. At least 165 of these Smith EV MD trucks have been reported “non-operational” in California, but the status of the other trucks around the country is unknown. Without dedicated servicing from Smith EV, they have likely also been taken out of service by their operators, the report authors suggest.

Deployed ZETs by Manufacturer (As of December 2021)

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Source: Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks


Similarly, the majority of EVI, Navistar eStar, Chanje, and Workhorse vehicles are non-operational due to support or operational performance issues, or were removed from service for additional testing.

Together over 60% of ZETs that have been deployed in the United States are believed to be currently non-operational. A new generation of MD trucks and step vans has since emerged, built with improved battery chemistry, operational range, and performance capabilities.

Of all operational ZETs, Orange EV, a yard tractor manufacturer, has the most deployed vehicles in the United States. Behind Orange EV, BYD has deployed over 90 electric trucks, distributed across their HD truck, refuse truck, yard tractors, and MD truck models. BYD, originally a battery manufacturer, displayed early dominance in the global bus market where it sold over 23,000 electric buses in China as of 2019 and has sold over 750 electric buses in the United States as of 2021. BYD’s experience in the bus market assisted its expansion into MHD BET segments. With a robust battery supply chain for MHD battery-electric buses, BYD is likely able to obtain lower battery pack prices than many of its competitors. As of 2019, BYD sold over 3,500 electric trucks in China and is the single largest on-road ZET manufacturer (with operational vehicles) in the United States.

Lightning eMotors and Motiv Power Systems both deployed between 30 and 50 MD trucks and vans, respectively. By the nature of their business models, these “retrofit” manufacturers bypass the establishment of costly production lines for the entire ZET body and chassis and therefore have been able to bring ZETs to market much faster than most other manufacturers.

The largest US-based OEMs—Daimler, Volvo, Navistar, and PACCAR, which are cumulatively responsible for the entire 2020 U.S. on-road conventional HD truck market—have deployed only 45 HD ZETs to customers as of December 2021.

Additional findings include:

  • The number of available ZET models has increased 625% from 2019.

  • While there are numerous hydrogen fuel cell trucks under development and being demonstrated in the US, they are a small percentage of the ZET population.

  • The expected delivery times of the 140,000 ZETs on order are between one and ten years.

“Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks” is based on data gathered from several sources, including market information providers, incentive program records, public press releases, and private correspondence with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).

As there is no centralized accounting of ZETs, it is important to note that figures contained in the report should not be considered static nor should any data on ordered vehicles be considered static.

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