Diesel will dominate the commercial truck segment for years to come, but when will the switchover to electrified, automated trucks seriously impact the demand for this fuel? It’s a pressing question for the U.S. in particular, where 70 percent of the goods use traditional diesel engine medium- and heavy-duty trucks (and some of the medium- and light-duty work trucks use gasoline engines). Rail transport is being taken more seriously, like the rest of the world, but diesel trucks will be the mainstay for freight hauling short of pump prices skyrocketing. Contracts for these electric trucks with semi-autonomous functions are being secured by Tesla, Nikola, Workhorse Group, Volvo Trucks, and Daimler Trucks. As for fully autonomous trucks and platooning of small truck fleets, that’s being taken as seriously as electrified trucks, vans, and buses. Much of that has to do with a shortage of drivers. The American Trucking Association says […]