Geotab Report Shows Electric Trucks are Viable for Medium-Duty Fleets

Geotab released a report on the feasibility of transitioning from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric. 

"Taking Charge: On the road to the EV Future," offers insights into the power of EVs in commercial fleets. Based on data from more than 2 million vehicles worldwide, the study looks at the potential for electrification to make fleet operations more efficient, improve cost management, and meet established sustainability goals.

Impact of Electrification on Medium-Duty Truck Fleets

One of the key findings of the report is that 81% of medium-duty ICE vehicles have a daily average distance of less than 150 miles, which is within the range of electric trucks currently on the market. This indicates a significant opportunity for electrification today. 

Additionally, the report shows that transitioning cost-effective medium-duty ICE vehicles to EVs could prevent the use of 2.2 billion gallons of fuel while avoiding approximately 19 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over the next seven years.

Range Capable Working Vehicles

When analyzing real-world data from North America and Europe, Geotab found that about three-quarters of the studied light commercial vehicles (LCVs) on the road drive within a daily range that could be covered by an EV. Geotab calls this "range capable."

Moreover, there are financial benefits of electrification. In Geotab's research, 41% of analyzed gas and diesel LCVs are "EV suitable," which means two things: they are range capable, and switching them to electric would save money — an average of $15,900 per vehicle over its lifetime.

The environmental impact of converting all these vehicles to electric could be huge: it would stop the production of about 19 million tons of tailpipe emissions.

Digging into Charging Behavior

Geotab's report also includes insights into charging behavior analysis, revealing missed opportunities for fully utilizing EVs. The analysis shows that 45% of European and 65% of North American charge sessions occur before the battery drops to half, indicating a need for better charging infrastructure and education.

"The opportunities for fleets to electrify will continue to grow with better data insights spotlighting challenges and solutions to accelerating adoption, ultimately improving outcomes for business and the planet," said Eric Mallia, Geotab's Vice President of Sustainability Solutions.

Geotab's report is one more tool to empower fleet managers with the knowledge and resources they need to embrace a cleaner, more efficient future.