The Port of Baltimore will soon look and sound much different. One of the largest intermodal trucking companies on the East Coast announced that they will implement electric trucks at the port. These trucks will soon work to help in all aspects of port business for RoadOne. Teaming up with Ikea, the Port of Baltimore, and electric truck manufacturer Nikola Corp., RoadOne is the first to bring sustainable solutions to the Port of Baltimore. This is all part of the company’s National Sustainability Initiative. This plan aims to find sustainable solutions in trucking and the transportation industry. With these first steps, RoadOne could be the first 100% emissions-free company at the Port of Baltimore. With RoadOne’s implementation, hopefully it will only be a matter of time before more fleets adopt electric trucks.
With the introduction of electric trucks, RoadOne hopes to remove more than 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel a year. That’s 11,000 gallons per truck. It’s no secret that the majority of carbon emissions result directly from large corporations. 70% of all emissions come from commercial businesses. That means that if every human being eliminated emissions in their everyday life, that would only reduce emissions by 30%. Not only would emissions be lower, but the docks could become much quieter with electric vehicles. General health issues attached to working on the dock would reduce resulting in a friendlier workplace for all.
RoadOne brings Electric Trucks with some Help
The implementation of electric vehicles is a joint venture between RoadOne, IKEA, the Port of Baltimore and Nikola Corp. Nikola Corp is the company that makes electric trucks. They recently acquired a leading battery manufacturer to soon make stronger and longer-lasting batteries. These batteries are still the biggest flaw in electric vehicles in the transportation sector. A battery just can’t last as long as a full tank of gas. Electric trucks in the port are ideal as they don’t have to travel as far. At the end of the day, they can attach to the charger and be ready for work in the morning. Long haul trucking still has to combat short battery life.
With electric vehicle technology improving, it’s only a matter of time before we see more companies follow in the footsteps of RoadOne. As one of the largest companies, RoadOne has access to purchase the much pricier vehicles. Hopefully, soon the price of an electric truck will reach a point where smaller companies can participate. At this point, government grants and tax breaks are still not enough to make them more common.
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