National Center for Sustainable Transportation

This report examines the electrification of buses, vocational trucks, and construction machinery, as well as the impact of advancements in battery technology on this transition. The electrification of these vehicles and machinery, alongside rapid progress in battery development, is accelerating. This study provides a comprehensive review of current research on lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, evaluating their development status and the challenges to commercialization. A keyobjective of this study is to assess the progress of advanced battery development and its influence on the further commercialization of buses, vocational trucks, and construction machinery. Modeling suggests that within the next 7 to 12 years, batteries with energy densities of 500 Wh/kg and 1000 Wh/L will enable electrified construction vehicles andmachinery to match or surpass the performance of current diesel-powered equipment. Electric buses are already commercially available and expanding globally, while electrified construction trucks and machinery have been successfully demonstrated in real-world projects across the U.S., China, and Europe. These electrified machines offer multiple advantages, including lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, improved efficiency, quieter operation, and reduced maintenance and energy costs compared to diesel-powered counterparts. Manufacturers are optimistic about marketgrowth, particularly given the support of federal and state incentives aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions. Currently, the cost of electrified construction machinery remains relatively high. However, near-term cost projections are uncertain, as they depend not only on the comparative costs of diesel engines, batteries, and electric motors but also on the rate at which prices for electrical components decline in the near future. 

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