A comprehensive framework for the assessment of the effects of increased electric truck weights on road infrastructure: A New York City case study

To reduce emissions due to truck-based freight transport, transitioning from internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks to electric trucks (e-trucks) is an essential step. The impact of heavy-duty ICE trucks on pavement and bridge infrastructure has been widely studied, especially in the context of urban freight. However, similar impacts of heavier e-trucks, mainly as a result of their large battery packs still remain insufficiently studied. These battery packs add up to 8000–9000 pounds (3628.74-4082.33 kg) to heavy-duty trucks, potentially accelerating infrastructure degradation if not appropriately planned for. This paper assesses the impact of this additional weight on urban pavement and bridges and suggests long-term policy development to ensure infrastructure safety amid the growing adoption of e-trucks, a crucial step towards reducing carbon emissions. Since e-truck are not yet fully deployed, we propose a novel methodological framework to help identify the impacts of increased weights of e-trucks on urban pavement and bridges for a number of future adoption scenarios. There were four phases of the proposed research framework: (1) development of different scenarios of e-truck adoption, (2) generation of projected data (such as e-truck weights and adoption rates) for these scenarios, (3) evaluation of the impacts of e-trucks on pavement and bridge infrastructure, and (4) assessment of policy-relevant infrastructure indicators. Using New York City (NYC) as an example, our framework projected e-truck weights and adoption in 2030 and 2050, based on assumptions developed from historical data and literature. We employed the Pavement Damage Assessment Cost (PDAC) method to quantify the infrastructural impacts. The study found that conventional oversized trucks in NYC impose an estimated $4.16 million in bridge and pavement damage costs in 2023. With projected adoption rates of e-trucks, damage costs are expected to increase by up to an additional 12% (around $0.5 million), posing a significant added burden on pavement and bridge infrastructure. The application of the proposed methodological framework can provide actionable insights for policymakers elsewhere to develop strategies that ensure infrastructure longevity and safety as e-truck adoption continues to grow.