The Biden administration has unveiled a freight electrification roadmap that prioritizes investment in electric vehicle chargers and hydrogen fueling stations along key freight corridors around the United States.
The program describes in detail the stages of improving the infrastructure of freight corridors and the methodology for switching to zero-emission battery transport by 2040. This is the first attempt by the US government to propose a coherent strategy for the electrification of freight transport across the country.
The document has 318 pages, of which only 13 contain text and graphics, and the rest of the treatise is a specific list of facilities included in zero-emission cargo hubs.
The map’s developers analyzed the structure of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on American roads and prioritized which routes should be targeted first to best reduce pollution.
The roadmap, released this Tuesday, is designed to focus billions of dollars in public spending on key roads and accelerate private investment in new infrastructure that is critical to cleaning up emissions from medium and heavy trucks.
Officials want to accelerate the adoption of 18-wheel zero-emission vehicles and other trucks used to transport goods across the country by helping to ensure an efficient and reliable charging network. This, in turn, can help reduce companies’ fuel costs while also cleaning the air around some of the most heavily traveled highways.
“This is a big step forward for environmental justice. 75% of heavy truck traffic travels on just 4% of our nation’s roads, putting the health of our most vulnerable communities at risk,” said Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor.
According to the strategy released by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministries of Energy and Transportation, the ultimate goal is “a ubiquitous and affordable hydrogen charging and refueling network for zero-emission trucks by 2040.”
Currently, the transportation sector emits approximately 29% of greenhouse gases in the United States, with medium- and heavy-duty trucks accounting for more than a fifth of the emissions. However, the historical dependence of shipping on oil-based fuels has made reducing these emissions a challenge.
The move comes in response to growing publicity from truck manufacturers who say more public support is needed for charging stations, grid improvements, and other infrastructure to spur the electrification of heavy vehicles.
According to the Department of Energy, there are only 92 electric charging stations in the United States that can serve heavy trucks, and only nine of them have fast charging.
While companies are rapidly expanding their electric vehicle fleets and charging capacities, the development of highway charging infrastructure is essential for wider deployment. Hydrogen refueling stations will also be needed to support the use of hydrogen-powered vehicles, which truck manufacturers expect to enter the market in the next 18-24 months.
In total, about 12,000 miles/19,312 km of roads, including Interstate 80, will be prioritized between 2024 and 2027. Roads around key ports will also be at the front of the queue to receive clean charging and refueling upgrades.
The roadmap, which transport and logistics companies have called the “Biden Plan,” has already been recognized as an “iterative and thoughtful approach” and one that “leads to a reduction in environmental pollution in the country’s ports and highways.”
