WASHINGTON — New trucking industry-backed research finds renewable diesel (RD) fuel to be significantly less costly and more operationally effective than transitioning to battery-powered trucks.
Electric vehicle purchases and electric infrastructure will cost the long-haul sector more than $1 trillion over 15 years, a study released Tuesday by the American Transportation Research Institue (ATRI) estimates.
That compares with $203 billion using renewable fuel to power internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks to achieve similar decarbonization benefits, the study found.
“My company quickly and successfully transitioned to renewable diesel in April of last year,” said Andy Owens, a member of ATRI’s research advisory committee and CEO of A&M Transport, a Glendale, Oregon, truckload hauler. “ATRI’s research offers concrete evidence that this move is better for the environment and easier to achieve than other low-carbon options.”