Electric truck feasibility for port drayage operations: Port houston case study

Abstract

Heavy-duty fleet electrification has the potential to reduce lifecycle operation costs, greenhouse gases, and criteria pollutant emissions. However, there are several obstacles to shifting from diesel fleets to full-electric fleets, such as range constraints and a lack of public charging infrastructure. This study developed an analytical feasibility framework for assessing the transition of an all-diesel heavy-duty fleet to a full-electric or a mixed electric and diesel fleet for drayage trucks operating at and around ports. The proposed framework devised a structured approach and multiple measures for determining the viability of heavy-duty fleet electrification, taking technological, operational, and economic aspects into account. The case study showed that, while battery electric trucks cannot replace entire diesel fleets yet, they are technologically and economically feasible for a portion of drayage operations. This practice will facilitate fleet electrification, particularly heavy-duty, by tackling major roadblocks and providing insight into the numerous unknown possibilities.