Electric Trucks Operating Expenses Are Worse Than Diesel Trucks

Electric semi truck manufacturers, as well as truck rental companies, expected transportation companies to jump at the chance to change from diesel to battery-powered. However, that has not proven to be true. The fact is that electric semi trucks are simply far too expensive. 

However, over the past two years, hardly any of either vehicle has been sold. As of December 2023, only 100 Tesla Semis were in circulation, and Freightliner has only sold 50 trucks in total. Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at Daimler Truck North America, which manages Freightliner, even said, “Quite frankly, demand has not been as strong as what we would like.”

However, while Ryder manages 250,000 trucks for thousands of retailers and transportation companies, it has only rented 60 electric trucks over the past two years, and most of them were light-duty trucks, not the semis made by Tesla and Freightliner. 

A Tesla semi costs between $150,000 and $180,000, and the Freightliner eCascadia starts at $139,000. While a new standard diesel-powered semi can cost about $200,000, most companies buy them used for less than $70,000. Therefore, the average diesel semi costs less than half an electric model. 

Ryder Systems calculated that a company that owns 25 commercial vehicles, including at least 10 Class 8 trucks, would have to pay 56% more, or $3.4 million per year, to convert its fleet from diesel to electric. 

Additionally, very few mechanics have the capacity to fix any internal or external issues, so all maintenance issues need to be assessed by a specialist. Not to mention that the parts are hard to find and therefore much pricier. 

That is because trucks and, consequently, their drivers need to stop and charge for hours between deliveries. This slows transportation times significantly, which can also result in profit loss. 

As of 2024, there are roughly 60,000 electric charging stations in the United States. However, 14,000 of those are in California, while Louisiana has only 190 and Wyoming has just 81. Most of these transportation companies drive across state lines every day, and if they don’t know that a charging station is available on their route, they absolutely cannot use an electric truck. 

According to recent data, Class 8 semi trucks emit 25% of the total greenhouse gas emissions created by U.S. transportation. And as the U.S. transportation sector is responsible for 22% of total CO2 emissions, eliminating diesel-powered trucks could make a real and lasting difference for the environment. 

In March 2024, the EPA even announced its new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, which will ensure that the majority of semi trucks sold in the U.S. between 2027 and 2032 are fully electric. 

In order to actually replace a diesel-powered fleet with an electric one, they need to make significant changes to the vehicles, including increasing their range, lightening the battery and lowering the maintenance costs. Of course, they’ll also have to build more charging stations in middle America. 

Many of these trucking companies care about the planet as much as anyone else. However, at more than double the operational cost of a diesel truck, Ryder’s CEO, Robert Sanchez, explained, “The economics just don’t work for most companies.”

Technological advancements and economic factors influence the adoption of electric trucks, offering fresh insights into their operational costs compared to diesel counterparts.

Such advancements are crucial for improving the range and reducing charging times, making electric trucks more competitive.

This technology not only extends the driving range but also lowers the energy costs associated with long-haul electric trucks, presenting a significant saving over time.

These include financial incentives like tax rebates and subsidies for infrastructure development and EV deployment, which can significantly lower the entry barriers for companies considering electric trucks.

Such financial support can make electric trucks a more viable option for fleets, particularly when combined with potential fuel and maintenance savings.

Companies need to consider these long-term benefits when evaluating the total cost of ownership.

This trend, observed in other technology sectors, suggests that electric trucks could become more financially attractive as the market matures.

This significant environmental benefit can be incorporated into cost-benefit analyses and provide a strong economic argument in favor of electric trucks.

These innovations could dramatically enhance operational efficiency and safety.

Looking deeper into these deployments could reveal the practical challenges and unexpected advantages of transitioning to electric vehicles, providing valuable lessons for others in the industry.

In Europe, for instance, stricter emissions regulations have accelerated the transition, while in the U.S., adoption is more gradual and influenced by state-specific policies and infrastructure readiness.

Stakeholders across the industry will undoubtedly continue to evaluate and adapt to new technologies and economic conditions to fully realize the potential of electric freight transport.