It’s time. Time to, at the very least, dip your toe in the battery electric vehicle (BEV) pool. There are several reasons you should do so. For one thing, trucks are available to order. For another there are several cities and states setting up targets for the percentage of vehicles that need to produce zero emissions. And we are learning more and more each day about which applications make the most sense for BEVs.

In NACFE’s first Bootcamp Training, What’s Driving Electric Trucks, we learned that there is an increase in model availability of BEVs, political momentum is on the side of BEVs, costs of both vehicles and batteries continues for fall and the needed charging infrastructure is being built out.

During the Bootcamp, we learned that there are potential benefits for fleets who move to BEVs. These include increased uptime, lower operating costs, improved corporate image, reduced maintenance, reduced number of components, reduced noise and vibration, improved driver retention, meeting environmental requirements and increased efficiency and productivity.

That’s a lot of benefits, but I need to be clear that at this point in their development BEVs are not right for every application. But I think you can say that about any new technology. Here’s where BEVs do make sense: in applications of less than 200 miles, where freight cubes out, ones with stop-start duty cycles, and ones where trucks return home every night.

We at NACFE understand that trucks are business tools and so there needs to be a return on investment, and today without incentives that might not be possible. But we also believe that we will continue to see improvements in the vehicles themselves and in the uptick in purchases. As more people try BEVs, prices should come down.

If your duty cycle fits the one mentioned above, at least stick your toe in and bring a BEV or two into your operation soon so that you can see how they perform. It is important to note that we are moving away from prototype or pilot BEVs into full production, so you better not wait too long.

Come on in, the water is fine.

Michael Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency. He currently serves on the second National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technologies and Approaches for Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and has held various positions in engineering, quality, sales and plant management with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.