PACT, a new coalition born to push e-truck infrastructure deployments in North America
The coalition was established by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar, Inc. (belonging to the TRATON Group), and Volvo Group North America. The Groups involved are the same that managed to create the Milence project in Europe.
Powering America’s Commercial Transportation (PACT) is the name of a brand-new coalition born to push e-truck infrastructure deployments in North America. The coalition was established by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar, Inc. (belonging to the TRATON Group), and Volvo Group North America. The Groups involved are the same that managed to create the Milence project in Europe.
According to the launch press release, each original equipment manufacturer has battery-electric vehicles in the marketplace, but access to charging infrastructure is an increasingly significant bottleneck to the widespread adoption of these technologies. Coalition membership is open to all stakeholders with an interest in accelerating the deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicles and the requisite infrastructure, including other OEMs, infrastructure developers, electric utilities and grid operators, and others. Other founding members include ABB E-mobility, Burns & McDonnell, Greenlane™, J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., Prologis Inc., and Voltera.
E-truck infrastructure urgently needed to develop cleaner transportation
According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, nearly 700,000 chargers will be needed nationwide to accommodate the one million Class 4-8 M/HD ZEVs anticipated to be deployed by 2030, which will consume 140,000 megawatts of electricity every day, equivalent to the monthly energy needs of over 100 million American homes.
“Decarbonizing the commercial transportation sector – the fleets that keep America moving – is critical to meeting our nation’s climate goals. But the transition to zero-emission vehicles is stalling without the deployment of the needed charging infrastructure,” said John O’Leary, president and CEO of Daimler Truck North America. “Through PACT, we aim to accelerate this infrastructure buildout so that fleets can adopt ZEVs at scale and we can all benefit from impactful emissions reductions as quickly as possible.”
“Commercial vehicle customers require fast, reliable, affordable, and convenient power to effectively deploy ZEV fleets at scale,” added Mathias Carlbaum, president and CEO of Navistar. “To enable their success, we must work collaboratively across sectors to deliver an infrastructure that provides access to seamless electricity and meets the commercial transportation industry’s unique needs. PACT provides a concerted forum dedicated to making this vision a reality; truly working to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility.”
“The scale of infrastructure required for medium- and heavy-duty EV adoption is unprecedented. Understanding and coordination across the different stakeholders is imperative to deploy chargers quickly and cost-effectively,” said Stephen Roy, chairman of Volvo Group North America and president of Mack Trucks. “PACT will promote best practices to streamline this complex transition while minimizing impacts on fleets, utilities, and the economy.”
